Trillium govanianum, commonly known as Nag Chhatri and Teen Patra, is a popular herbal supplement traditionally used for curing different inflammatory and sexual disorders, infection and wound healing. Steroidal saponins are considered as active components of this species. The present study demonstrated the isolation of nine steroidal saponins, including one new compound named as govanoside B (9) and eight known, pregna-chacotrioside (1), pennogenin-triglycoside (2), borassoside E (3), pennogenin-tetraglycoside (4), protodioscin (5), clintonioside B (6), pennogenin-diglycoside (7) and borassoside D (8). This is the first report on the isolation of 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 from rhizomes of T. govanianum. The extract, fractions and isolated compounds were further evaluated for their DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activity.
Keywords: Trillium govanianum; steroidal saponin; structure elucidation.