A new steroidal saponin, yuccalan, from the leaves of Yucca smalliana.

An extract of the leaves of Yucca smalliana Fern. (Agavaceae) showed potential antimicrobial activity. Employing a bioassay linked fractionation method, one of the active principles, namely yuccalan, was isolated as a new steroidal saponin. The structure of the new steroidal saponin was elucidated as 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->6)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(3beta, 5alpha, 6alpha, 25S)-spirostan-3,6,27-triol (1) using various spectroscopic techniques, including IR, MS, 1D and 2D 1H-NMR, and 13C-NMR. The purified yuccalan showed antifungal activities against both Rhizoctonia solani and Fusarium oxysporum.