Glycoside primers of Psittacanthus cucullaris.

Bioassay-directed chromatographic separation of the ethyl acetate extract of the whole plant of Psittacanthus cucullaris afforded a new phenolic xyloside, ellagic acid-4-O-beta-xyloside-3,3', 4'-trimethyl ether (1) together with four known compounds, ellagic acid-4-O-beta-xyloside-3,3'-dimethyl ether (2), gallic acid, beta-sitosterol, and beta-sitosterol beta-D-glucoside. The structure of the new compound was determined by spectroscopic methods. Like other beta-D-xylosides, compounds 1 and 2 stimulated the formation of glycosaminoglycan chains when fed to the cultured Chinese hamster ovary cells.