[Triterpenes and steroids in seeds of Solanum dulcamara]

In seeds of Solanum dulcamara L. the 4,4-dimethylsterols cycloartenol, lanosterol, cycloartanol, 24-dihydrolanosterol, 24-methylenecycloartanol, and 24-methylenelanost-8-en-3beta-ol, the 4alpha-methylsterols 31-norcycloartenol, 31-norlanosterol, 31-norlanost-8-en-3beta-ol, lophenol, cycloeucalenol, obtusifoliol, gramisterol, and citrostadienol and the sterols cholesterol, 24-methylenecholesterol, campesterol, isofucosterol, sitosterol, and stigmasterol were identified by GC and GC/MS. The biosynthesis of these compounds is discussed. Additionally the spirostanoles tigogenin and diosgenin were isolated. The N-analoges spirosolanoles soladulcidine and solasodine were identified by TLC. The seeds contain 28% oil, of which the fatty acid composition has been examined. The predominant fatty acids are linolic acid (18:2) and oleic acid (18:1).