Bioactive cyclolanstane-type saponins from the stems of Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.) Bge. var. mongholicus (Bge.) Hsiao.

Twelve cyclolanstane-type saponins including six new ones, astrolanosaponins A1 (1), A2 (2), B (3), C (4), D (5), and E (6) were obtained from the stem of Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.) Bge. var. mongholicus (Bge.) Hsiao, and their structures were elucidated by chemical and spectroscopic methods. Of the known ones, cycloastragenol-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (7), astraverrucin II (8), cycloaraloside E (9), huangqiyenin A (10), and huangqiyenin B (11) were isolated from the species first. Meanwhile, compounds 1-3, 5-9, and aleksandroside I (12) showed inhibitory effects on triglyceride accumulation in HepG2 cells.