Triterpene Saponins from the Roots of Ilex asprella

Abstract Six new triterpene saponins, ilexasprellanosides A–F ( 1 – 6 , resp.), together with eleven known compounds were isolated from the roots of Ilex asprella. The new saponins were characterized as ursa‐12,18‐dien‐28‐oic acid 3‐ O ‐ β ‐ D ‐xylopyranoside ( 1 ), 19 α ‐hydroxyursolic acid 3‐ O ‐ β ‐ D ‐(2′‐ O ‐acetylxylopyranoside) ( 2 ), 19 α ‐hydroxyursolic acid 3‐ O ‐ β ‐ D ‐glucuronopyranoside ( 3 ), 3 β ,19 α ‐dihydroxyolean‐12‐en‐23,28‐dioic acid 28‐ O ‐ β ‐ D ‐glucopyranoside ( 4 ), 19 α‐ hydroxyoleanolic acid 3‐ O‐β ‐ D ‐(2′‐ O ‐acetylxylopyranoside) ( 5 ), 19 α ‐hydroxyoleanolic acid 3‐ O ‐ β ‐ D ‐glucuronopyranoside ( 6 ). The structures of the new compounds were elucidated by analysis of their spectroscopic data and chemical degradation. Compounds 2, 4 , oleanolic acid 3‐ O ‐ β ‐ D ‐glucuronopyranoside, 3‐ β ‐acetoxy‐28‐hydroxyurs‐12‐ene, and pomolic acid showed significant cytotoxic activities against human tumor cell line A549 ( IC 50 values of 1.87, 2.51, 1.41, 3.24, and 5.63 μ M , resp.).