The methanolic extract and its n-butanol-soluble fraction from the flowers of the tea plant (Camellia sinensis) were found to suppress serum triglyceride elevation in olive oil-treated mice. From the n-butanol-soluble fraction, three new acylated oleanane-type triterpene oligoglycosides, floratheasaponins A-C (1-3), were isolated together with several flavonol glycosides and catechins. The structures of 1-3 were elucidated on the basis of chemical and physicochemical evidence as 21-O-angeloyl-22-O-acetyltheasapogenol B 3-O-[beta-D-galactopyranosyl(1-->2)][beta-D-xylopyranosyl(1-->2)-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl(1-->3)]-beta-D-glucopyranosiduronic acid, 21,22-di-O-angeloyl-R1-barrigenol 3-O-[beta-D-galactopyranosyl(1-->2)][beta-D-xylopyranosyl(1-->2)-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl(1-->3)]-beta-D-glucopyranosiduronic acid, and 21-O-angeloyl-22-O-2-methylbutyryl-R1-barrigenol 3-O-[beta-D-galactopyranosyl(1-->2)][beta-D-xylopyranosyl(1-->2)-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl(1-->3)]-beta-D-glucopyranosiduronic acid, respectively. Floratheasaponins (1-3) showed inhibitory effects on serum triglyceride elevation, with their activities being more potent than those of theasaponins E1 (4) and E2 (5) obtained previously from the seeds of C. sinensis.

In the course of our characterization studies on the bioactive saponin constituents from Camellia (C.) sinensis (Theaceae), we have reported the isolation and structure elucidation of theasaponins A 1 -A 5 , C 1 , E 1 -E 13 , F 1 -F 3 , G 1 , G 2 , and H 1 , 2-6) assamsaponins A-I, 7,8) and camelliasaponins B 1 and C 1 9) from the seeds of Japanese C. sinensis (L.) O. KUNTZE and Sri Lankan C. sinensis L. var. assamica PERRE, and foliatheasaponins I-V 10) from the leaves of Japanese C. sinensis. Among the saponin constituents, theasaponin E 1 showed antisweet activity, 2) while theasaponins A 2 , E 1 , E 2 , and E 5 and assamsaponins A, C, and D were found to exhibit potent inhibitory effects on gastric lesions in rats. 4,5) In addition, floratheasaponins A-C (1-3) were isolated from the flower buds of Japanese C. sinensis and these acylated polyhydroxyoleanane-type triterpene oligoglycosides showed inhibitory effects on serum triglyceride elevation in olive oil-treated mice.11) As a continuation of our studies on bioactive constituents of medicinal flowers, 1,11-13) the methanolic extract of the flower buds of Chinese C. sinensis was found to inhibit an immediate allergic reaction by monitoring the release of b-hexosaminidase from rat basophilic leukemia (RBL-2H3) cells. From the methanolic extract, we have isolated six new acylated oleanane-type triterpene oligoglycosides, floratheasaponins D (4), E (5), F (6), G (7), H (8), and I (9), together with 21 known compounds including floratheasaponins A-C (1-3). Furthermore, we examined the inhibitory effects of principal floratheasaponins (1-6) on the release of b-hexosaminidase from RBL-2H3 cells. In this paper, we describe the isolation and structure elucidation of the new constituents (4-9) and the inhibitory effect of major floratheasaponins (1-6) from the flower buds of Chinese C. sinensis on the release of b-hexosaminidase from RBL-2H3 cells.14)The methanolic extract (38.5% from the dried flower buds of C. sinensis cultivated in Anhui province of China) with the inhibitory effect on the release of b-hexosaminidase from

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The MeOH extract and its BuOH-soluble fraction (crude saponin fraction) from the flower buds of Chinese tea plant (Camellia sinensis (L.) O. KUNTZE; Fujian Province) were found to exhibit accelerating effects on gastrointestinal transit in mice and inhibitory effects against pancreatic lipase. From the BuOH-soluble fraction, three new acylated oleanane-type triterpene oligoglycosides, chakasaponins I, II, and III (1-3, resp.), were isolated together with 13 known compounds. The chemical structures 1-3 were elucidated on the basis of chemical and physicochemical evidence. Compounds 1-3 showed accelerating effects on gastrointestinal transit in mice and inhibitory effects against porcine pancreatic lipase (IC(50)=150-530 microM).

The methanolic extract and its 1-butanol-soluble fraction from the flower buds of Camellia oleifera ABEL were found to exhibit inhibitory effects on ethanol-and indomethacin-induced gastric mucosal lesions in rats. The ethyl acetate-and 1-butanol-soluble fractions also showed inhibitory effects on rat lens aldose reductase and scavenging effects on 1,1-diphenylpicryl-2-hydrazyl radical and superoxide. From the 1-butanol-soluble fraction, four new acylated oleanane-type triterpene oligoglycosides, yuchasaponins A, B, C, and D, were isolated and their structures were elucidated on the basis of chemical and physicochemical evidence. On the other hand, quercetin 3-O-a a-L-rhamnopyranoside and kaempferol 3-O-a a-L-rhamnopyranoside were isolated from the ethyl acetate-and 1-butanol-soluble fractions as the principal constituents, and their gastroprotective effects were examined.