The Component Sapogenins and Sugars of the Saponin from the Leaf of Thea sinensis L.

Abstract

Previously, two major sapogenins, barringtogenol C and R1-barrigenol, and one minor sapogenin, camelliagenin A, were isolated by hydrolysing the tea leaf saponin. The main acidic components were shown to be angelic and cinnamic acids.In the present study, another minor sapogenin was isolated and identified as A1-barrigenol. Sugar components of the tea leaf saponin were composed of arabinose, xylose, galactose and glucuronic acid. On the basis of the molecular weight, the leaf saponin was suggested that it consisted chiefly of barringtogenol C and R1-barrigenol, accompanied by 1 mole of cinnamic acid, 1 mole of the mixture of angelic and tiglinic acids, as well as each 1 mole of arabinose, xylose, galactose and glucuronic acid.A crystalline saponin mixture isolated from tea seeds was named "theasaponin" by Aoyama in 1931. As the saponin from tea leaves was different in its structure and properties from the tea seed saponin, a crystalline saponin mixture from the leaf of Thea sinensis L. was named "theafolisaponin."