Steroidal saponins from the rhizome of Paris polyphylla and their cytotoxic activities.

Two new furostanol saponins and one new spirostanol saponin were isolated from the rhizome of Paris polyphylla Smith var. yunnanensis, together with 18 known steroidal saponins. The structures of the new steroidal saponins were elucidated as 26-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(25R)-5-ene-furost-3 beta, 17 alpha, 22 alpha, 26-tetrol-3-O-alpha-L-arabinofuranosyl-(1-->4)-[alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->2)]-beta-D-glucopyranoside (2, parisyunnanoside A), 26-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(25R)-5, 20 (22)-diene-furost-3 beta, 26-diol-3-O-alpha-L-arabinofuranosyl-(1-->4)-[alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->2)]-beta-D-glucopyranoside (7, parisyunnanoside B), and (25R)-spirost-5-ene-3 beta, 12 alpha-diol-3-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->4)-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->4)-[alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->2)]-beta-D-glucopyranoside (13, parisyunnanoside C) by MS and 1 D and 2 D NMR analysis.