Two new steroidal saponins isolated from Anemarrhena asphodeloides

Two new steroidal saponins, named timosaponin P ( 1 ) and timosaponin Q ( 2 ), were isolated from the rhizome parts of Anemarrhena asphodeloides Bunge using various chromatographic methods. Their structures and absolute configurations were elucidated by a combination of spectroscopic and spectrometric data, including 1D, 2D NMR, HR-ESI-MS and ECD calculations, and this is the first time the absolute configuration of C-23 of steroidal saponin was confirmed by ECD calculations.