Saponins from Vietnamese Ginseng, Panax Vietnamensis Ha Et Grushv. Collected in Central Vietnam. I

From rhizomes and roots of Panax vietnamensis Ha et Grushv., Araliaceae, commonly known as Vietnamese Ginseng, two new acetylate saponins named vina-ginsenoside-R1 (13) and vina-ginsenoside-R2 (15) were isolated. On the basis of chemical and spectral data, 13 was formulated as monoacetyl 24(S)-pseudo-ginsenoside-F11 and 15 was proved to be monoacetyl majonside-R2. Besides the two new saponins and beta-sitosteryl-3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside, sixteen known saponins were also isolated and identified. Dammarane saponins:ginsenoside-Rh1 and 20(R)-ginsenoside-Rh1 (1), ginsenosides-Rg1 (2), -Re (3), -Rd (6), -Rb3 (7), -Rb2 (8), -Rb1 (9), pseudo-ginsenoside-RS1 (= monoacetyl ginsenoside-Re, 4), notoginsenosides-R1 (5) and -Fa (10). Ocotillol-type saponins:pseudo-ginsenoside-RT4 (11), 24(S)-pseudo-ginsenoside-F11 (12), majonosides-R1 (16) and -R2 (14). Oleanolic acid saponins:ginsenoside-Ro (= chikusetsusaponin V, 17) and hemsloside-Ma3 (18), a saponin previously isolated from a cucurbitaceous plant, Hemsleya macrosperma C. Y. Wu. Despite having large horizontally elongated rhizomes, the underground part of this plant contains mainly dammarane saponins and a small amount of oleanolic acid saponins. In addition, the yield of ocotillol-type saponins, especially majonoside-R2, is surprisingly very high (more than 5% and ca. half of the total yield of saponin). This characteristic saponin composition has made Vietnamese Ginseng an interesting species among Panax spp.