Spirostanol tetraglycosides from Ypsilandra thibetica.

Phytochemical reinvestigation on the whole plants of Ypsilandra thibetica obtained five new spirostane glycosides, ypsilandrosides H-L (1-5), and a known saponin polyphylloside III (6). Among them, 1 and 2 are the first spirostane glycosides which possess novel 5(6-->7) abeo-steroidal aglycones. Compounds 3 and 4 are rare saponins whose aglycones contain a hydroxyl group at C-7. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of MS, 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic analysis and chemical evidences. The isolated compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxic activity on five tumor cell lines.