A new ecdysteroid and other constituents from two Dioscorea species

Phytochemical investigation of the rhizome of Dioscorea dumetorum has led to the isolation by several chromatographic steps on normal and reversed phase silica gel of a new ecdysteroid, (20R)-5β,11α,20-trihydroxyecdysone (1), and two known ecdysteroids, ajugasterone C (2) and herkesterone (3). Their structures were determined by spectroscopic methods including 1D- and 2D-NMR (COSY, TOCSY, HSQC and HMBC). This is the first report on the occurrence of phytoecdysteroids in the Dioscoreaceae family. These compounds were devoid of antifungal activity against three Candida species (Candida albicans, Candida glabrata and Candida tropicalis, MIC > 200 μg/ml).