Abstract
Three new digitanol glycosides (digipronin, purpnin, and purpronin) were isolated from the water-soluble fraction of the leaves of Digitalis purpurea L. On hydrolysis, digipronin gave three aglycones (α-, β- and γ-digiprogenin) and one molecule of d-digitalose, and purpnin and purpronin gave purpnigenin and purprogenin respectively together with three molecules of d-digitoxose. It is likely that these aglycones belong to a C21-steroid of pregnenolone type. A method for distinguishing the diginigenin type and the pregnenolone type of digitanol glycosides was also described.
