Novel acylated lipo-oligosaccharides from the tubers of Ipomoea batatas.

Nine new lipo-oligosaccharides, batatosides H-P, were isolated from the tubers of Ipomoea batatas (Convolvulaceae). Spectral and chemical methods allowed to characterize them as tetra- or penta-saccharides that form a macrolactone with the aglycone, (11S)-hydroxyhexadecanoic acid (jalapinolic acid), the absolute configuration of which was established by Mosher's method. Batatosides L and O showed a weak inhibitory effect on the growth of Hep-2 cells, while the others proved to be inactive.