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 3ß-O-ß-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→2)-ß-D-galactopyranosyl-(1→2)-ß-D-glucuronopyranosyl-oleanolic acid (Sandrosaponin X, 1), 3ß-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 3ß-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.