New dammarane-type triterpene saponins from Gynostemma pentaphyllum and their anti-hepatic fibrosis activities in vitro

[Display omitted] •Gynostemma pentaphyllum is used as a functional food in China for long.•Three new dammarane-type saponins were discovered from G. pentaphyllum.•Compound 27 exhibited the highest activity with an IC50 value of 24.4 μM.•G. pentaphyllum can be developed as a liver protective functional food. Jiaogulan (Gynostemma pentaphyllum) tea as one functional food has been commercially available over the world. In this study, the chemical constituents and health properties of Gynostemma pentaphyllum (G. pentaphyllum) has been investigated. Three new dammarane-type triterpenes Gypenoside C, Gypenoside D, Gypenoside E as well as twenty-four known compounds were isolated from the total G. pentaphyllum saponins. The structural determination was accomplished with spectroscopic analysis, in particularly 1D, 2D-NMR and HRESIMS. All the isolated compounds were evaluated for inhibition activities of the growth of human Hepatic Stellate Cells (t-HSC/Cl-6) and compounds 2, 9, 10, 17, 24, 25, 26, 27 showed significant cytotoxic activities. Among them, compound 27 exhibited more excellent inhibitory activities whose IC50 value (24.4 μM) was 10-fold lower than positive control silymarin. The discovery of new t-HSC/Cl-6 inhibitors from G. pentaphyllum expands its usage as a functional food.