Isolation of α-amyrin eicosanoate, a triterpenoid from the roots of Saussurea lappa Clarke - Differential solubility as an aid

The plant Saussurea lappa is well known for its varied medicinal properties. Alpha-amyrin eicosanoate (1), a triterpenoid and the sesqueterpene lactones, Dehydrocostus lactone (2), Beta-cyclo costunolide (3), costunolide (4), Epoxyisozaluzanin C 4α 15-epoxide (5) and Epoxyisozaluzanin C 11α 13-epoxide (6) were isolated from thechloroform extract of the roots of Saussurea lappa. Column Chromatography, HPLC, HPTLC-UV, LC-MS, MS, IR, SEM, EDAX and NMR techniques were employed for the isolation and characterization. Differential solubility of the compound 1 in methanol facilitated its easy isolation from the rest. Alpha-amyrin eicosanoate is reported for the first time from the roots of Saussurea lappa.