Triterpenoid saponins from Ferula hermonis Boiss

This work reports the isolation and characterization of three saponins, including a new one ( 3), from an n-BuOH extract of the root of Ferula hermonis Boiss. Their structures ( 1–3) were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic evidence using 1D and 2D-NMR data, high resolution MS and chemical methods and identified as 3 ß- O- ß-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→2)- ß-D-galactopyranosyl-(1→2)- ß-D-glucuronopyranosyl-oleanolic acid (Sandrosaponin X, 1), 3 ß- O- ß-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→2)- ß-D-galactopyranosyl-(1→2)- ß-D-glucuronopyranosyl-oleanolic acid 28- O- ß-D-glucopyranoside (Sandrosaponin IX, 2) and 3 ß- O- ß-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→2)- ß-D-galactopyranosyl-(1→2)- ß-D-glucuronopyranosyl-oleanolic acid-28- O- ß-D-glucopyranoside methyl ester (Sandrosaponin XI, 3). The chemotaxonomic significance of these compounds was summarized. ► Three oleanene triterpenoid saponins were isolated for the first time from Ferula hermonis. ► Extensive use was made of NMR spectroscopic data and high resolution MS to determine the structures of the pure compounds. ► The chemotaxonomic significance of these compounds was summarized.