Steroidal saponins from roots of Asparagus officinalis

Sarsasapogenin M (1) and sarsasapogenin N (2), two new oligospirostanosides with a unique aglycone moiety, (25S)-5β-spirostan-3β, 17α-diol, along with seven known compounds (25S)-5β-spirostan-3β-ol-3-O-β-d-glucopyranosyl-(1,2)-[β-d-xylopyranosyl-(1,4)]-β-d-glucopyranoside (3), (25S)-5β-spirostan-3β-ol-3-O-β-d-glucopyranosyl-(1,2)-β-d-glucopyranoside (4), (25S)-5β-spirostan-3β-ol-3-O-α-l-rhamnopyranosyl-(1,2)-[α-l-rhamnopyranosyl-(1,4)]-β-d-glucopyranoside (5), (25S)26-O-β-d-glucopyranosyl-5β-furost-20 (22)-ene-3β,26-diol-3-O-β-d-glucopyranosyl-(1,2)-β-d-glucopyranoside (6), yamogenin (7), β-sitosterol (8), and sitosterol-β-d-glucoside (9) were isolated from the roots of Asparagus officinalis L. Their structures were determined by spectral analysis, including extensive 1D and 2D NMR experiments.