title: Cytotoxic saponins from New Zealand Myrsine species.
abstract: The observed biological activity in two New Zealand Myrsine species has been shown to be due to the presence of triterpene saponins. From Myrsine australis a series of eight oleanane-type saponins was obtained, with compounds 1-4 and 7 and 8 being novel. Also isolated were ardisiacrispin A [5] and ardisiacrispin B [6]. The structures of the new compounds were determined by chemical and spectroscopic techniques. Extracts of Myrsine salicina yielded only one saponin, 5. Saponins 1-8 were shown to be combinations of four oleanane triterpenes bonded to beta-D-xylp(1-->2)-beta-D-glcp(1-->4)-[beta-D-glcp(1-->2)]-alpha-L -arap (compounds 1, 3, 5, 7) and this same tetrasaccharide with alpha-L-rhap replacing the beta-D-xylp unit (compounds 2, 4, 6, 8).
authors: Industrial Research Limited, Lower Hutt, New Zealand.
authors: S J
authors: SJ
authors: Bloor
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Qi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D002240:Carbohydrate Sequence; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009520:New Zealand; D010944:Plants / Q000737:chemistry*; D012503:Saponins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D012503:Saponins