Cytotoxic oxygenated triterpenoid saponins from Symplocos chinensis.

A n-butanol-soluble fraction of an ethanolic extract from the roots of Symplocos chinensis showed cytotoxic activity against several cancer cell lines. Bioassay-guided purification led to the isolation and characterization of eight new triterpenoid saponins, symplocososides L-S (1-8). The structures of 1-8 were elucidated as glycosides based on oxygenated aglycons by spectroscopic and chemical methods. These compounds and their hydrolytic products, along with some additional analogues obtained earlier from S. chinensis roots, were evaluated for cytotoxicity in a small cancer cell panel.