Triterpene glycosides from the seeds of Astragalus sinicus L.

From the seeds of Astragalus sinicus L. (Leguminosae), seven triterpene glycosides were isolated and identified as soyasaponin I-III methyl esters (1-3) which were treated with CH2N2 during the separation procedure, soyasaponin IV (4), soyasapogenol B 3-O-beta-D-glucuronopyranoside (5), 3-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1-->2)-beta-D-xylopyranosyl(1-->2)-beta-D- glucuronopyranosyl 3 beta, 22 beta, 24-trihydroxy-11-oxoolean-12-ene (6), whose sapogenol (8) was obtained by enzymatic hydrolysis using glycyrrhizinic acid hydrolase, unambiguously characterized and designated as complogenin, and 3-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1-->2)-beta-D-galactopyranosyl(1-->2)-beta-D - glucuronopyranosyl complogenin (7).