Steroidal glycosides from the bulbs of Camassia leichtlinii and their cytotoxic activities

Phytochemical analysis of the bulbs of Camassia leichtlinii (Liliaceae) res ulted in the isolation of six new spirostanol saponins, a new furostanol sa ponin, a cholestane glucoside, and four known steroidal saponins. The struc tures of the new saponins were determined by detailed analysis of their spe ctral data, including two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy, and by the results of hydrolytic cleavage. Cytotoxic activities of the isolated compounds agai nst human oral squamous cell carcinoma (HSC-2) cells and normal human gingi val fibroblasts (HGF) are also reported.