Abstract
The composition of "group A saponin" in the seed hypocotyl of soybean was analyzed, and six kinds of "group A saponins, " named Aa, Ab, Ac, Ad, Ae and Af according to their elution order from HPLC, were detected. On the basis of chemical and physicochemical evidence, Aa, Ab, Ae and Af are shown to be identical with the known saponins, acetyl-soyasaponins A4, A1, A5 and A2, respectively, whilst Ac and Ad were novel saponins possessing different sugar chains. In all these saponins, the terminal sugar of the oligosaccharide chain attached to C-22 of an aglycone (soyasapogenol A) was acetylated in the soybean seed.
