Triterpene saponins from the leaves of Ilex kudingcha.

Three new triterpene saponins, ilekudinosides T-V (1-3), along with six known saponins were isolated from the 70% ethanolic extract of the leaves of Ilex kudingcha. The new saponins were characterized as 3-O-beta-d-glucopyranosyl-(1 --> 3)-[alpha-l-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 --> 2)]-alpha-l-arabinopyranosyl-3beta,19alpha-dihydroxy-urs-12(13)-en-28,20beta-lactone (1), 3-O-beta-d-glucopyranosyl-(1 --> 3)-[alpha-l-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 --> 2)]-alpha-l-arabinopyranosyl-3beta,19alpha-dihydroxy-12-ethoxy-urs-13(18)-ene-28,20beta-lactone (2), 3-O-beta-d-glucopyranosyl-(1 --> 3)-[alpha-l-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 --> 2)]-alpha-l-arabinopyranosyl-3beta,19alpha-dihydroxy-11-oxo-urs-13(18)-ene-28,20beta-lactone (3), respectively. The structures of compounds 1-3 were elucidated on the basis of the chemical and spectroscopic evidence, and the structures of known compounds were identified by comparison of their spectroscopic data with those reported in the literature.