New triterpenic saponins from the aerial parts of Medicago arabica (L.) huds.

The reinvestigation of saponin composition from Medicago arabica from Italy allowed the detection of nineteen (1-19) saponins. All of them were purified by reverse-phase chromatography and their structures elucidated by spectroscopic and spectrometric (1D and 2D NMR; ESI-MS/MS) and chemical methods. Fourteen were known saponins, previously found in other plants including other Medicago species. They have been identified as glycosides of oleanolic acid, 2beta,3beta-dihydroxyolean-12-en-28-oic acid, hederagenin, bayogenin and soyasapogenol B. Five saponins, identified as 3-O-[-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl(1-->2)-beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl]-30-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl 2beta,3beta,30-trihydroxyolean-12-en-28-oic acid (1), 3-O-[alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl(1-->2)-beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl]-30-O-[beta-D-glucopyranosyl] 3beta,30-dihydroxyolean-12-en-28-oic acid (2), 3-O-[beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl]-30-O-[alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl(1-->2)-beta-d-glucopyranosyl] 2beta,3beta,30-trihydroxyolean-12-en-28-oic acid (3), 3-O-[beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl]-30-O-[alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl(1-->2)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl] 3beta,30-dihydroxyolean-12-en-28-oic acid (4) and 3-O-[beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl]-30-O-[beta-D-glucopyranosyl] 2beta,3beta,30-trihydroxyolean-12-en-28-oic acid (5), are reported here as new natural compounds. These new saponins, possessing a hydroxy group at the 30-methyl position of the triterpenic skeleton, have never been previously found in the genus Medicago.

Antimicrobial activity of saponins from Medicago sp.: structure-activity relationship.

The antimicrobial activity of saponins from Medicago sativa, M. arborea and M. arabica against a selection of medically important yeasts, Gram-positive and -negative bacteria was investigated. Structure-activity growth inhibitory effects of related prosapogenins and sapogenins are also described. Increasing antibiotic activity was observed going from the saponin extracts to the sapogenin samples, suggesting that the sugar moiety is not important for the antimicrobial efficacy. Activity was especially high against Gram-positive bacteria (Bacillus cereus, B. subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis) with M. arabica being the species showing a broader spectrum of action. Discrete antifungal activity was also observed, mainly against Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The observed antimicrobial properties of M. sativa and M. arborea were related to the content of medicagenic acid, while hederagenin seems to contribute to the bioactivity of M. arabica total sapogenins.

Triterpene saponins from the roots of Medicago hybrida.

Fourteen triterpene saponins (1-14) have been isolated from the roots of Medicago hybrida and their structures elucidated by FAB-MS and NMR analysis. Two of them are new compounds and were identified as hederagenin 3-O-[alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1-->2)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl(1-->2)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl]-28-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (7) and oleanolic acid 3-O-[beta-D-galactopyranosyl(1-->2)-beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl]-28-O-[alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1-->4)-beta-D-glucopyranoside] (14). Seven saponins being mono- and bidesmosides of hederagenin (1, 5, 6, 9), one bidesmoside of bayogenin (2), and two bidesmosides of 2beta,3beta-dihydroxyolean-12-en-23-al-28-oic acid (11) and oleanolic acid (13) are known compounds but not previously reported as saponin constituents of Medicago, whereas five other saponins, being mono- and bidesmosides of medicagenic acid (3, 4, 8, 10, 12), and one monodesmoside of hederagenin (8) have been previously isolated from other Medicago species. The presence of 2beta,3beta-dihydroxyolean-12-en-23-al-28-oic acid might represent an interesting intermediate in the biosynthesis of these substances.

Triterpenoid glycosides from leaves of Medicago arborea L.

Eighteen triterpene saponins (1-18) from Medicago arborea leaves have been isolated and their structures elucidated by spectroscopic, spectrometric (1D and 2D NMR, FAB-MS, ESI-MS/MS), and chemical methods. They have been identified as glycosides of medicagenic, zanhic, and 2beta-hydroxyoleanolic acids, soyasapogenol B, bayogenin, and 2beta,3beta-dihydroxyolean-12-en-23-al-28-oic acid. Twelve of them, identified as 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-28-O-[alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl(1-->3)-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1-->2)-alpha-L-arabinopyranoside] zanhic acid (3), 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-28-O-[beta-D-xylopyranosyl(1-->4)-[alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl-(1-->3)]-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1-->2)-alpha-L-arabinopyranoside] zanhic acid (4), 3-O-[alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1-->2)-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl(1-->2)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl]-2beta-hydroxyoleanolic acid (5), 3-O-beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl-28-O-[alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1-->2)-alpha-L-arabinopyranoside]medicagenic acid (6), 3-O-beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl-28-O-[beta-D-xylopyranosyl(1-->4)-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1-->2)-alpha-L-arabinopyranoside]bayogenin (9), 3-O-beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl-28-O-[beta-D-xylopyranosyl(1-->4)-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1-->2)-alpha-L-arabinopyranoside]-2beta,3beta-dihydroxyolean-12-en-23-al-28-oic acid (10), 3-O-beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl-28-O-[beta-D-xylopyranosyl(1-->4)-[beta-D-apiofuranosyl(1-->3)]-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1-->2)-alpha-L-arabinopyranoside]zanhic acid (12), 3-O-beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl-28-O-[beta-D-xylopyranosyl(1-->4)-[alpha-L-arabinopyranoside(1-->3)]-alpha-L-rhamnopyrano-syl(1-->2)-alpha-L-arabinopyranoside]zanhic acid (13), 3-O-beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl-28-O-[beta-D-xylopyrano-syl(1-->4)-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1-->2)-alpha-L-arabinopyranoside]zanhic acid (14), 3-O-[alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl-(1-->2)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl(1-->2)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl]-28-O-[beta-D-xylopyranosyl(1-->4)-[beta-D-apiofurano-syl(1-->3)]-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1-->2)-alpha-L-arabinopyranoside]zanhic acid (16), 3-O-[beta-D-glucopyrano-syl(1-->2)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl]-28-O-[beta-D-xylopyranosyl(1-->4)-[alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl(1-->3)]-alpha-L-rhamno-pyranosyl (1-->2)-alpha-L-arabinopyranoside]zanhic acid (17), and 3-O-beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl-28-O-[beta-D-xylopyranosyl(1-->4)-[beta-D-apiofuranosyl(1-->3)]-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1-->2)-alpha-L-arabinopyrano-side]medicagenic acid (18), are reported as new natural compounds. The presence of the aldehydic group on the sapogenin moiety of saponin 10 is discussed in the framework of a possible elucidation of the biosynthesis of these metabolites.

Triterpene saponins from aerial parts of Medicago arabica L.

Eight major triterpene saponins have been isolated from the aerial parts of Medicago arabica and their structures elucidated by FAB-MS and NMR analysis. Three of them are new compounds and are identified as 3-O-(alpha-L-arabinopyranoside) bayogenin, 3-O-(alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl), 28-O-(beta-D-glucopyranoside) bayogenin, and 3-O-[alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl(1-->2)-beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl], 28-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside 2-beta-hydroxyoleanolic acid. Two saponins, identified as 3-O-(alpha-L-arabinopyranoside) hederagenin and 3-O-(alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl), 28-O-(beta-D-glucopyranoside) hederagenin are known compounds but not previously reported as saponin constituents of Medicago species, while three other saponins, being mono- and bidesmosides of hederagenin, have been previously isolated from roots of M. sativa.

Stability of saponins in alcoholic solutions: ester formation as artifacts.

Saponins containing a free carboxylic group in the molecule give the corresponding esters as artifacts when stored for a long time in alcoholic solutions. Two saponins from Medicago sativa L., chosen on the basis of their different positions of the carboxylic group in the molecule, were refluxed with methanol and ethanol under neutral conditions. 3,28-di-O-glu medicagenic acid possesses a carboxylic group on the triterpenic moiety, whereas soyasaponin I, a glycoside of soyasapogenol B, has a glucuronic acid unit as the first sugar linked to the triterpene structure. Artifacts were quantified by HPLC. The peaks identified as the corresponding esters were examined during boiling from 1 h to 5 days. Quantitative results indicated that the carboxylic group on the sugar moiety, as for soyasaponin I, is more reactive than that on the triterpenic structure, as for 3,28-di-O-glu medicagenic acid. Saponins having the free carboxylic groups create enough acidity in their alcoholic solutions to catalyze the formation of the corresponding esters.