Steroidal Saponins from the Rhizomes of Paris polyphylla var. chinensis and their Cytotoxic Activity on HL-60 Cells

A new spirostanol steroidal saponin, along with ten known saponins, which were based upon (25R)-spirost-5-en-3β-o1 (diosgenin) or (25R)-spirost-5-ene-3β5,17α-diol (pennogenin) as the aglycones, were isolated from the rhizomes of Paris polyphylla var. chinensis. Spectral data, including two-dimensional NMR, and the result of hydrolytic cleavage showed that the structure of the new saponin was pennogenin 3-0-{O−α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→4)-O a-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→4)-β-D-glucopyranoside}. The isolated saponins were evaluated for their cytotoxic activity on human promyelocytic leukemia HL-60 cells.