Aim: To study the chemical constituents of Dioscorea parviflora.
Methods: The chemical constituents were isolated by silica gel and RP-18 column chromatography, and their chemical structures were elucidated by IR, NMR and MS.
Results: Eleven steroides have been isolated from EtOH extract of Dioscorea parviflora and identified as isonarthogenin 3-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->2)-beta-D-glucopyranoside (I), diosgenin-diglucoside (II), prosapogenin A of dioscin (III), dioscin (IV), deltonin (V), deltoside (VI), methyl deltoside (VII), diosgenin 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl (1-->3)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->4)-[alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->2)]-beta-D-glucopyranoside (VIII), parvifloside (IX), methyl parvifloside (X), diosgenin (XI), and a mixture of beta-sitosterol and stigmasterol.
Conclusion: Compound X is a new compound. Compounds VII and X were methyl ethers of VI and IX, respectively, and may be produced during isolation. Compound I is isolated from Dioscorea L., and II, IV from Dioscorea parviflora for the first time.