Abstract
Stabursvik (1959) described the saponin fraction of Narthecium ossifragum as a sarsasapogenin glycoside with the structure arabinosegalactose-xylose-glucose-sarsasapogenin. In a renewed study of the phototoxic lamb disease alveld, in which this saponin has been implicated (Ender 1955), we have looked more closely at the saponin fraction. We find that there are two saponins, one major and one minor. Both have a branched trisaccharide on C-3 of the sapogenin. Galactose is directly attached to C-3 in both saponins. The major saponin has glucose and arabinose attached to galactose, the minor saponin has glucose and xylose. We suggest the names narthecin and xylosin for the spirostanol form of these two saponins. In fresh juice from leaves we find little narthecin, however. Most of the saponin is present in the furostanol form, with glucose on C-26. Enzymatic hydrolysis showed this glucose to be bound as a β-glucoside. From specific rotations in partial hydrolysates we conclude that the saccharide on C-3 is a β-D-glucoside, α-L-araboside, β-D-galactoside.
Keywords: alveld, saponins
Sammendrag
Stabursvik (1959) bestemte saponinfraksjonen fra Narthecium ossifragum til å være et sarsasapogeninglykosid med struktur arabinose-galaktose-xylose-glukose-siarsasapogenin. I en fornyet studie av den fototoksiske lammesykdommen alveld, der dette saponin synes a spille en sentral rolle (Ender 1955) har vi undersøkt saponinfraksjonen nøyere. Vi finner at der er to saponiner, et hovedsaponin og et bisaponin. Begge har et forgrenet trisakkarid på sapogeninets C-3. Galaktose er direkte bundet til C-3 i begge saponiner. Hovedsaponinet har glukose og arabinose bundet til galaktose, bisaponinet har glukose og xylose. Vi foreslår navnene narthecin og xylosin for spirostanolformen av disse to saponiner. I frisk saft fra bladene finnes det imidlertid lite narthecin. Mesteparten av saponinet er til stede i furostanolformen, med et molekyl glukose bundet i C-26. Enzymatisk hydrolyse viste at denne glukose er bundet som β-glukosid. Fra spesifikke rotasjoner i partielle hydrolyseprodukter slutter vi at sakkaridet på C-3 er et β-D-glukosid, α-L-arabosid, β-D-galaktosid.
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