Analysis and Purification of Diastereomeric Steroid Saponins from the Trigonella foenum-graecum Seed Extract Using SFC / ELSD

IN T RO DU C T IO N Biosynthesis enzymes are inherently three-dimensional. As a result, enzymatically-derived natural products are usually structurally diverse, sterically complex, and chiral. Compared to synthetic compounds, natural products contain significantly more rings and chiral centers. For example, steroid saponins are an important class of compounds widely distributed in plant and marine animal kingdoms. They are glycosides consisting of one or more oligosaccharide chains, linked to a steroid aglycone with multiple fiveand six-member ring structures. In addition to different oligosaccharides, stereochemistry at C-25 also contributes to their structural variability. Spirostanol saponins, shown in Figure 1, are a subgroup of steroid saponins, and refer to those containing spirostane-type of aglycones.