New polyhydroxylated furostanol saponins with inhibitory action against NO production from Tupistra chinensis rhizomes.

Two furostanol saponins were obtained from the rhizomes of Tupistra chinensis Bak. Their structures were determined as 5beta-furost-delta(25(27))-en-1beta,2beta,3beta,4beta,5beta,7alpha,22xi,26-octaol-6-one-26-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (1) and 5beta-furost-delta(25(27))-en-1beta,2beta,3beta,4beta,5beta,6beta,7alpha,22xi,26-nonaol-26-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (2), on the basis of chemical and spectroscopic evidence. Both compounds displayed marked inhibitory action against NO production in rat abdomen macrophages induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) at 40 microg/mL.