From the underground parts of Tupistra chinensis, a novel polyhydroxylated
spirostanol sapogenin, tupichigenin A [(20S, 22R)-spirost-25(27)-ene-1 beta
,2 beta,3 beta,5 beta-tetraol] (1), was isolated and determined structurall
y on the basis of spectroscopic methods. Also isolated was the known steroi
dal sapogenin (20S, -22R)-spirost-25(27)-ene-1 beta,2 beta,3 beta,4 beta,5
beta,7 alpha-hexaol-6-one (2).