Though indigenous to America, Pithecellobium dulce
Benth is an evergreen tree widely distributed in the
greater part of India and is also found in southeast
Asia. Pithecellobium dulce is now commonly grown as
a hedge plant throughout India and is locally called
'Jungal jalebi' [1]. A phytochemical survey of saponin
components in this plant was limited to the isolation
of oleanolic and echinocystic acids as sapogenins of
the crude saponin, of echinocystic acid bisdesmoside,
dulcin, and saponin PE as an anti-inflammatory saponin
[2, 3]. Chemical characterization of the other
saponins has not been achieved. Our attention was
drawn to the saponins occurring as a very complex
mixture. We have reinvestigated the seeds and isolated
seven new monodesmosides, named pithedulosides AG
(1-7). In the pre,;ent work, we report the isolation
and structural elucidation of seven saponins from the
seeds of the title plant.