[Saponins and hemolytic activity. Saponins and glycosides from five species of Sapindaceae].

The haemolytic activity of saponins has been a known phenomenon for many years. In this work, structure-activity relationships were established from various triterpene saponins distinguishing hemolytic activity between mono- and bidesmosidic saponins. Saponins structure in Sapindaceae serve as a chimiotaxonomic criteria for dividing the species into two sub-families. In order to verify this criteria, five species were studied: Smelophyllum capense and Dimocarpus fumatus from the sub-family Sapindoideae, Filicium decipiens, Hippobromus pauciflorus, and Harpullia cupanioides from the sub-family Dodonaeoideae. Structure of eleven new saponins were elucidated from four species by the study of homo- and heteronuclear advanced NMR experiments and MS. Other metabolites were also isolated from Dimocarpus fumatus, including isoprenypchromenes and three new glycosides of long chain fatty alcohols.