Two new sulfated saponins from the roots of Gypsophila bermejoi.

Two new sulfated saponins (1 and 2) were isolated from a butanol-soluble extract of the roots of Gypsophila bermejoi and were identified by a combination of chemical degradation and spectral methods as the 3beta-sulfate ester of gypsogenin 28-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl(1-->2)-[beta-D-glucopyranosyl(1-->6)]-beta -D-glucopyranoside (1), and the 23-sulfate ester of hederagenin 28-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl(1-->2)-[beta-D-glucopyranosyl(1-->6)]-beta -D-glucopyranoside (2), respectively. Plants of the genus Gypsophila (Caryophyllaceae) are important industrially because of the capacity of their saponin constituents to behave like natural detergents.1 Saponins from this genus are based on oleanolic acid (3-hydroxyolean-12-en-28-oic acid), with gypsogenin being the main pentacyclic triterpenoidal aglycon found. In general, this aglycon is substituted at the C-3 hydroxyl and/or C-28 carboxylic acid groups by saccharide units.2