Noriaki Kawamura

Saponins from roots of Momordica cochinchinensis

Abstract Ten minor saponins, momordins Ia–Ie and IIa–IIe, were isolated from the root of Momordica cochinchinensis , along with the known major saponins, momordins I and II. Their structures were established on the basis of chemical and spectroscopic analysis. The structures of the two new saponins were assigned as 3β-{([ O -β- d -xylopyranosyl-(1→2)- O -β- d -xylopyranosyl-(1→3)]- O -β- d -glucopyranuronosyl)oxy}-olean-12-ene-28-oic acid for momordin Id and momordin Id-28-β- d -glucopyranosyl ester for momordin IId. It was confirmed that the genuine saponin present in the root was not the monodesmoside but the bisdesmoside, though the former is the major component in the dry root.