Abstract
New saponins, named gypenosides LXV (1), LXVI (2), LXXII (3), LXXIII (4) and LXXIX (5), were isolated from the aerial parts of Gynostemma pentaphyllum MAKINO (Cucurbitaceae) collected in Wakayama pref., together with the known saponins, gypenosides II, VII, XLV (6) and gynosaponin TN-2. On the basis of chemical and physicochemical evidence, they were characterized as follows. 1, 3β, 12β, 19, 20 (S)-tetrahydroxydammar-24-ene 20-O-β-primeveroside : 2, 3β, 12β, 19, 20 (S)-tetrahydroxydammar-24-ene 20-O-β-rutinoside : 3, 3β, 12β, 19, 20 (S)-tetrahydroxydammar-24-ene 3-O-β-rutinoside-20-O-β-D-glucopyranoside : 4, 2α, 3β, 20 (S)-trihydroxydammar-24-ene 3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside-20-O-β-rutinoside : 5, 3β, 19, 20 (S)-trihydroxydammar-24-ene 3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside-20-O-β-D-glucopyranoside.
