Pentasaccharide glycosides from the tubers of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas).

Sweet potato ( Ipomoea batatas) has been used as food and herb in many countries. In this research on the active constituents of sweet potato, nine compounds were isolated and identified, including seven new resin glycosides, batatosides A-G (1- 7), along with two known compounds, batatinoside I ( 8) and simonin IV ( 9). The structures of 1- 9 have been established by a combination of spectroscopic and chemical methods. The major characteristics of the new compounds are the presence of three different substituents. The absolute configuration of aglycones was established as S by Mosher's method. Batatoside E ( 5) showed weak cytotoxic activity against Hep-2 cells.