Saikosaponins from roots of Bupleurum gibraltaricum and Bupleurum spinosum

Two new saikosaponins have been identified in the butanolic fraction of the ethanol extract of the roots of Bupleurum spinosum: 3 beta,16 alpha,23,28- tetrahydroxyoleana-11,13-(18)-dien-30-oic acid 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 --> 2)-beta-D-glucopyranosy1-(1 --> 3)-beta-D-fucopyranoside, and 3 beta,1 6 alpha,23,28,30-pentahydroxyoleana-11,13(18)-diene 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranos yl-(1 --> 2)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 --> 3)-beta-D-fucopyranoside. 3 beta, 16 beta,23-trihydroxy-13,28-epoxyolean-11-ene 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 --> 2)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 --> 3)-beta-D-fucopyranoside was also isola ted, and this structure agreed with the one proposed for bupleuroside I, bu t their spectroscopic data have not been described until now. From the same fraction of the roots of Bupleurum gibraltaricum, the known compound buddl ejasaponin IV has been isolated as the predominant component (90%). Structu res were elucidated using spectroscopic analysis, specially 2D-NMR experime nts. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.