Isolation and Identification of Steroidal Saponins from Dioscorea panthaica Prain et Burkill

Two steroidal saponins have been isolated from the rhizomes of Dioscorea panthaica Prain et Burkill. collected from Sichuan province. They were identified as 3-0-{α-L- rhamnopyranosyl (1→4)- [α-L-rhamnopyranosyl (1→2) ]-β-D-glucopyranosyl } -diosgenin (dioscin) and 3-O-{β-D-glucopyranosyl (1→3)-[α-L-rhamnopyranosyl (1→2)]-β-D-glucopyranosyl}-diosgenin (gracillin) on the basis of mp., m. mp., TLC. acetylation, acid hydrolysis, IR, MS, and 13C NMR.