Cycloartane triterpene glycosides from the roots of Astragalus brachypterus and Astragalus microcephalus.

Three new cycloartane-type triterpene glycosides, brachyosides A (1), B (3), and C (2), from the roots of Astragalus brachypterus and one new glycoside, cyclocephaloside II (4), from the roots of Astragalusmicrocephalus have been isolated together with five known saponins, astragalosides I, II, and IV, cyclocanthoside E, and cycloastragenol. The structures of the new compounds were established as 3-O-[beta-D-xylopyranosyl(1-->3)-beta-D-xylopyranosyl-6-O-beta-D-gluc opyranosyl-3beta,6alpha,16beta,24(S),25-pentahydrox ycycloartane (1), 3-O-beta-D-xylopyranosyl-6-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-24-O-beta-D-glucop yranosyl-3beta,6alpha,16beta,24(S),25-pentahydroxyc ycloartane (2), 20(R),24(S)-epoxy-6-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-3beta,6alpha,16beta , 25-tetrahydroxycycloartane (3), and 20(R), 24(S)-epoxy-3-O-(4'-O-acetyl)-beta-D-xylopyranosyl-6-O-beta-D-glucopy ranosyl-3beta,6alpha,16beta,25-tetrahydroxycycloart ane (4). For the structure elucidations, 1D- and 2D-NMR experiments and FABMS were used.