Triterpenoid saponins with hepatoprotective effects from the fresh leaves of <i>Metapanax delavayi</i>

The fresh leaves of Metapanax delavayi (Araliaceae) have been used as a common wild vegetable for salad and soup, and also herbal tea by the local people living in its growing areas of Yunnan province, China. Detailed chemical investigation led to the identification of a new triterpenoid saponin, 3-O-α-L-arabinopyranosyl-28-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→6)-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-3β-hydroxyolean-12-ene-28,29-dioic acid (1) from the fresh leaves, together with 11 known compounds, including six triterpenoid saponins (2–7), two caffeoylquinic acid derivatives (8–9), and three flavonoid glycosides (10–12). Their structures were determined on the basis of spectroscopic analysis and acidic hydrolysis. Compounds 3–5 and 8–12 were isolated from M. delavayi for the first time. Moreover, the known saponins 3-O-β-D-xylopyranosyl-3β-hydroxyolean-12-ene-28,29-dioic acid (3) and yiyeliangwanoside IV (5) exhibited protective effects on HepG2 cells damaged by the alcohol intakes, at a concentration of 1.0 µg/mL. The results indicated M. delavayi is an ideal dietary vegetable and herbal tea with potential hepatoprotective activity.