Studies on the chemical constituents from the roots of Platycodon grandiflorum

Three known monodesmosidic saponins: 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-2 beta,3 beta,16 alpha,23,24-pentahydroxyolean-12-ene-28-oic acid, 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl polygalacic acid, and 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 -> 3)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl polygalacic acid; and two known non-saponin compounds: a mixed compound of n-tetracosanoic acid (lignoceric acid), n-hexaconsanoic acid (cerotic acid), and n-octacosanoic acid, and alpha-mono-palmitin; were isolated for the first time from the root of Platycodon grandiflorum A. DC. together with another seven known compounds: platycoside G(1) (3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 -> 6)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 -> 6)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-2 beta,3 beta,16 alpha,23,24-pentahydroxyolean-12-ene-28-oic acid 28-O-beta-D-xylopyranosyl-(1 -> 4)-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 -> 2)-alpha-L-arabinopyranoside), deapio-platycodin D, Polygalacin D, deapio-platycodin D-3, platycoside A, alpha-spinasterol, and alpha-spinasteryl-3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside. Alkaline hydrolysis of platycoside G(1) afforded a new monodesmosidic prosaponin: 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 -> 6)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 -> 6)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-2 beta,3 beta,16 alpha,23,24-pentahydroxyolean-12-ene-28-oic acid. Their chemical structures were elucidated on the basis of their spectral data and chemical evidence.