Minor protopanaxadiol type sapogenins from the alkali hydrolysate of stems-leaves of Panax notoginseng .

Two new protopanaxadiol type sapogenins, (3 β ,12 β )-3,12,20-trihydroxydammar-24-en-26-al ( 1 ) and (3 β ,12 β )-3,12,20-trihydroxydammar-24-en-26-oic acid ( 2 ), were isolated from the alkali hydrolysate of stems-leaves of Panax notoginseng , along with seven known analogues ( 3 - 9 ). Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic analyses and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Compound 2 and the known sapogenins 5 - 8 displayed weak to moderate inhibition of NO production in LPS-induced RAW264.7 macrophages with IC 50 values from 44.5 to 143.6 μM, respectively.