Three new dammarane monodesmosides, named notoginsenosides Ft(1) (1) Ft(2) (2), and Ft(3) (3) together with three known ginsenosides, were obtained from a mild acidic hydrolysis of the saponins from notoginseng (Panax notoginseng (BURK.) F. H. CHEN) leaves. Their structures were elucidated to be (3 beta,12 beta,20 beta)-12,20-dihydroxydammar-24-en-3-yl O-beta-D-xylopyranosyl-(1 -> 2)-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 -> 2) 2)-O-beta-glucopyranoside (1), (3 beta,12 beta)-12,20,25-trihydroxydammaran-3-yl O-beta-D-Xylopyranosyl(1 -> 2 )-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 -> 2)-beta-glucopyranoside (2), and (3 beta,12 beta,24 xi)-12,20,24-trihydroxydammar-25-en-3-yl O-beta-D-xylopyranosyl-(1 -> 2)-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 -> 2)-beta-D-glueopyranoside (3), by means of spectroscopic evidences. The known ginsenosides Rh-2 and Rg(3) 4-6 were obtained as the major products from this acidic deglycosylation.
