Kahiricosides II–V, cycloartane glycosides from an Egyptian collection of Astragalus kahiricus

Four cycloartane-type saponins, kahiricosides II–V (1–4), were isolated from the aerial parts of Astragalus kahiricus of Egyptian origin. Their structures were established as 9β,19-cyclolanost-24E-ene-3β,6α,16β,27-tetraol-3-O-β-d-glucopyranoside, 9β,19-cyclolanost-24E-ene-3β,6α,16β,27-tetraol-3-O-(2′-O-acetyl)-β-d-glucopyranoside, 9β,19-cyclolanost-24E-ene-3β,6α,16β,27-tetraol-3-O-(6′-O-acetyl)-β-d-glucopyranoside, and 9β,19-cyclolanost-24E-ene-3β,6α,16β,27-tetraol-3-O-β-d-glucopyranosyl-27-O-β-d-glucopyranoside based on chemical and spectral evidences. All compounds exhibited very weak cytotoxicity against the A2780 ovarian cancer cell line.