Triterpene glycosides from the sea cucumber Eupentacta fraudatrix. Structure and biological action of cucumariosides I1, I3, I4, three new minor disulfated pentaosides.

Three new minor triterpene glycosides, cucumariosides I1 (1), I3 (2) and I4 (3) have been isolated from the Far Eastern sea cucumber Eupentacta fraudatrix. Structures of the glycosides were elucidated by 2D NMR spectroscopy and MS. Glycosides 1-3 belong to the group of cucumariosides I, havingbranched pentasaccharide carbohydrate moieties with two sulfate groups and possessing 3-O-methyl-D-xylose as a terminal monosaccharide unit that is a characteristic feature of all the glycosides isolated from E. fraudatrix. Glycosides 1 and 2 differ from each other by the side chain structures in the holostane aglycone moieties, while cucumarioside I4 (3) has a 23, 24, 25, 26, 27-pentanorlanostane aglycone with an 18 (16)-lactone. Cytotoxic activities of glycosides 1-3 against mouse spleen lymphocytes and ascite form of mouse Ehrlich carcinoma cells, along with hemolytic activity against mouse erythrocytes and antifungal activity were studied. Glycoside 1, having an aglycone side chain with a 24 (25)-double bond, possesses moderate activity in all the tests, while glycoside 2, having 23 (24)-double bond and 25-hydroxy group in the side chain, and glycoside 3 with an aglycone with an 18 (16)-lactone and shortened side chain have either low activity or are non-active.