[Composition and biological activity of steroid glycosides from a suspended culture of Dioscorea deltoidea Wall cells].

Two major steroid spirostanol glycosides (oligospirostanosides): deltoside (melting point, 296 degrees C, [alpha]D10:-90.8 degrees C (c 5.0,Py) and dioscine (melting point, 285-285 degrees C, [alpha]D10:-106.5 degrees C (c 5.0, Py) and a minor glycoside diosgenin-3-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->2)-beta-D-glucopyranoside were isolated form cell suspensions of Discorea deltoidea after fermentation with beta-glucosidase. The cell suspensions contained these glycosides as the furostanol analogs (oligofurostanosides) deltoside, protodioscine, and delta 5-furosten-3 beta,22,26-triol-3-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->2)-beta-D- glucopyranoside. The native oligofurostanosides isolated from D. deltoidea cell suspensions have a high biological activity and can be used as phytobiostimulators in medicine, veterinary, and agriculture.