Seeds of Strophanthus species are known as a source of rapid-acting cardenolides. These water-soluble glycosides are listed as the sole critical constituents of this raw herbal drug. A non-standard cardioprotective medication with ouabain-containing oral remedies has become popular in Europe as a result of the withdrawal of corresponding registered drugs from the market. However, the bioequivalence of pure ouabain solutions, tinctures, and home-made extracts from Strophanthus seeds is unknown. Thus, this study aimed to update the information on the composition of Strophanthus seeds used for this purpose. The distribution of two main saponins and about 90 previously unreported compounds, tentatively identified as saponins in eleven Strophanthus species, was systematically evaluated by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS) and -MS/MS. Seeds of S. gratus were selected to isolate the dominant unreported triterpenoids, bidesmosides of echinocystic and oleanolic acid. Their structures were established by HRMS, MS/MS, as well as by NMR techniques. The total saponin content, estimated by UHPLC-MS, was up to 1%. The detected saponins could influence the peroral bioavailability of hardly absorbable Strophanthus cardenolides and exhibit their own activity. This finding may be relevant when Strophanthus preparations (containing both saponins and cardiac glycosides) are used, particularly when homemade preparations are administered.

中文翻译：

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深入研究一种著名的草药：不同金莲花种子中皂苷的指纹图谱、分离、鉴定和含量估计

Strophanthus 物种的种子被称为速效cardenolides 的来源。这些水溶性糖苷被列为这种生草药的唯一关键成分。由于相应的注册药物从市场上撤出，一种含有哇巴因的口服药物的非标准心脏保护药物在欧洲变得流行。然而，纯哇巴因溶液、酊剂和来自 Strophanthus 种子的自制提取物的生物等效性尚不清楚。因此，本研究旨在更新有关用于此目的的 Strophanthus 种子组成的信息。两种主要皂苷和约 90 种以前未报道的化合物的分布，在 11 种 Strophanthus 中初步鉴定为皂苷，通过超高效液相色谱质谱（UHPLC-MS）和-MS / MS系统地评估。选择 S. gratus 的种子以分离未报道的主要三萜类化合物、棘皮素和齐墩果酸的比地斯莫苷。它们的结构是通过 HRMS、MS/MS 以及 NMR 技术确定的。通过 UHPLC-MS 估计的总皂苷含量高达 1%。检测到的皂甙会影响难吸收的卡诺内酯的口服生物利用度并表现出自身的活性。当使用 Strophanthus 制剂（同时包含皂苷和强心苷）时，这一发现可能与此相关，特别是在使用自制制剂时。棘皮素和齐墩果酸的比地斯莫苷。它们的结构是通过 HRMS、MS/MS 以及 NMR 技术确定的。通过 UHPLC-MS 估计的总皂苷含量高达 1%。检测到的皂甙会影响难吸收的卡诺内酯的口服生物利用度并表现出自身的活性。当使用 Strophanthus 制剂（同时包含皂苷和强心苷）时，这一发现可能与此相关，特别是在使用自制制剂时。棘皮素和齐墩果酸的比地斯莫苷。它们的结构是通过 HRMS、MS/MS 以及 NMR 技术确定的。通过 UHPLC-MS 估计的总皂苷含量高达 1%。检测到的皂甙会影响难吸收的卡诺内酯的口服生物利用度并表现出自身的活性。当使用 Strophanthus 制剂（同时包含皂苷和强心苷）时，这一发现可能与此相关，特别是在使用自制制剂时。