[A new minor saponin from the leaves of Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer]

Two minor compounds isolated from the leaves of Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer were characterized as 20(R)-protopanaxadiol (I) and 3 beta, 6 alpha, 12 beta-trihydroxydammar-20 (22), 24-diene-6-O-alpha-L-rhamnosyl-(1----2)-beta-D-glucopyranoside (II) on the basis of spectral analysis and chemical evidences. I was isolated for the first time from the leaves; II was shown to be a new saponin and was named as ginsenoside-Rg4.