New Triterpenic Saponins from Cephalaria

glucopyranosyl (1!3)--L-rhamnopyranosyl (1!4)--D-xylopyranosyl] hederagenin 28-O- [-D-glucopy-ranosyl (1!4)- -D-glucopyranosyl] ester (1), 3-O- [-D-glucopyranosyl (1!4)- -D-glucopyranosyl (1!3)--L-rhamnopyranosyl (1!4)- -D-xylopyranosyl] hederagenin 28-O- [-D-glucopyranosyl] ester (2) and 3-O- [-D-glucopyranosyl (1!3)- -L-rhamnopyranosyl (1!4)- -D-xylopyranosyl] hederagenin(3) were isolated from Cephalaria transsylvanica. After cleavage of the ester-glycosidic linkage of the bisdesmo-sidic compounds, two new prosapogenins, 3-O- [-D-xylopyranosyl (1!4)- -D-glucpyranosyl (1!4)- -D-glucopyranosyl (1!3)- -L-rhamnopyranosyl (1!4)- -D-xylopyranosyl] hederagenin (4) and 3-O- [-D-glucopyranosyl (1!4)- -D-glucopyranosyl (1!3)- -L-rhamnopyranosyl (1!4)- -D-xylopyranosyl] hederagenin (5) were also isolated. The structures of the compounds were established by chemical and spectroscopic means. Key Words: Cephalaria transsylvanica, dipsacaceae, hederagenin, triterpenic saponins