Preparation of glycyrrhetic acid glycosides having various beta(1----2)-linked disaccharides and their cytoprotective effects on carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatic injury.

Glycyrrhetic acid glycosides (1-7) having beta(1----2)-linked disaccharides such as 2-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-beta-D-galactopyranose, 2-O-beta-D-galactopyranosyl-beta-D-galactopyranose, 2-O-beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl-beta-D-galactopyranose, 2-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-beta-D-glucuronopyranose, 2-O-beta-D-galactopyranosyl-beta-D-glucuronopyranose, 2-O-beta-D-galactopyranosyl-beta-D-glucopyranose, 2-O-beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl-beta-D-glucopyranose, respectively, were synthesized by stepwise construction; from glycyrrhetic acid monoglycosides to the diglycosides. The cytoprotective activities of the glycosides 1-7 and 2-O-(beta-D-glucopyranosyl)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-11-oxoolean-12-e n-30-oate (8) were compared with natural occurring glycyrrhizin (9). Among these glycosides 1-8, glycosides 3 and 7 having beta-D-glucuronopyranose (glcUA) as the only terminal sugar component were more effective materials against hepatic injury than glycyrrhizin 9.