Studies on the Constituents of Panacis Japonici Rhizoma. I. : Isolation and Purification of the Saponins. (1)

Three kinds of saponin, named chikusetsusaponin-III, -IV, and -V, were isolated in crystalline form from a Chinese crude drug, Chikusetsu-Ninjin (rhizome of Panax japonicum C.A. MEYER ; Araliaceae), chikusetsusaponin-III, C47H80O17·2H2O, formed colorless prisms, mp 196-197°, and is protopanaxadiol or 20-epiprotopanaxadiol bonded with glucose and xylose. Chikusetsusaponin-IV, C47H74O15·4H2O, formed colorless prisms, mp 235° (decomp.), and is an oleanolic acid bonded with glucose, arabinose, and glucuronic acid, forming permethylated compound, C57H94O16, of mp 141-142°. Chikusetsusaponin-V, mp 230° (decomp.), is an oleanolic acid bonded with glucose and glucuronic acid. Further elucidation of the total structure of these saponins is in progress.