Object To do detail investigation of the saponins from the Chinese materia medica Huluba (the seeds of
Trigonella foenum graecum L ) Methods The pure saponins from the total saponins were isolated by employing the column chromatography and dry column chromatography of silica gel H Their chemical structures were elucidated by 13 C NMR , FAB MS, DEPT spectroscopic evidence and the results of the fraction hydrolysis of acquiring their secondary glucosides were obtained Results Two new saponins B and C were isolated and both were the glucosides consisted by four molecules of sugar with diosgenin The chemical structure of B is: diosgenin 3 O α L
rhamnopyranosyl (1→3) α L rhamnopyranosyl (1→4) β D
glucopyranosyl (1→4) β D
glucopyranoside And
saponin C is: diosgenin 3 O β D glucopyranosyl (1→4) α L rhamnopyranosyl (1→4) β D glucopyranosyl (1→4) β D glucopyranoside Conclusion Saponins B and C are two new ones with four molecules of sugar respectively