Steroids,phthalyl esters and hydrocarbons from Balanites wilsoniana stem bark

IR assay for sapogenin of Balanites wilsoniana revealed 0.2% in the root wood, 0.7% in the root bark, 0.3% in the stem bark, 1.4% in the fatty seed and 0.6%. w/w in the leaf. The 25 α-epimers predominated in all parts except in the root wood. Six glucosideshaving diosgenin or yamogenin as aglycones were found and one was characterized diosgenin 3 β-d-glucopyranoside from IR, MS and NMR studies. Cholesterol, stigmasterol, sitosterol, 25 α-spirosta-3:5-diene and 25-β-spirosta-3:5-diene were also present. Free diosgenin and dienes were detected in appreciable quantities in the fat from the bark. The ‘unsaponifiable’ fraction of this fat contained phthalyl esters (mainly dioctyl and dibutyl) and saturated hydrocarbons C₁₀C₃₂ (with C₁₀C₂₀ predominating), together with the above mentioned steroids.