Steroidal saponins from Dioscorea panthaica and their cytotoxic activity

A new steroidal saponin, dioscoreside E (1), and a known compound, protodioscin (2), were isolated from an ethanol extract of the rhizomes of Dioscorea panthaica. The structure of 1 was established as 3-O-[bis-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 --> 2 and 1 --> 4)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl]-26-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-20(R)-methoxy-25(R)-furosta-5,22(23)-diene-3beta,26-diol, on the basis of spectral and chemical evidence. Compounds 1 and 2 showed cytotoxic activity against a panel of tumor cell lines.