Chemical structure and biological activity of steroidal saponins from Furcraea gigantea

A new bisdesmosidic furostanol saponin, along with a known spirostanol saponin, furcreastatin, were isolated from Furcraea gigantea Vent. (Agavaceae). The structure of the new saponin was elucidated as 3-[(O-6-deoxy-α-L- mannopyranosyl-(1→4)-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1å 3)-O-[O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→3)-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→2) -O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→4)-β-D-galactopyranosyl)oxy]-(3β, 5α, 25R)-26-(β-D-glucopyranosyloxy)-22-hydroxyfurost-12-one. The structural identification was performed using a combination of spectroscopic techniques and chemical conversions. Furcreastatin showed a powerful haemolytic effect in the in vitro assay, but the new bisdesmosidic furostanol saponin demonstrated only a significant inhibition of the capillary permeability activity. ©2006 Springer Science+Business Media, Inc.