Studies indicated that smilagenin, isolated from Anemarrhena asphodeloides Bunge, could improve cognitive impairment and exhibit neuroprotective activity. On the basis of the structure of smilagenin, a series of derivatives were synthesized and evaluated for their neuroprotective effects of
A new saponin, named smilageninoside, mp 265-7 degrees C, was isolated from rhizomes of Anemarrhena asphdeloides by conventional method. The structure of smilageninoside was identified on the basis of IR, 1HNMR, 13CNMR and FAB-MS. Its structure was smilagenin 3-O-[beta-D-glucopyranosyl