Abstract: From the aerial part of Dioscorea zingiberensis Wright,four steroidal saponins had been isolated. By chemical and physical methods,saponin A was identified as yamogenin-3-O－[α－L-rhamnophyranosyl(1→2)]-β-D-glucopy-ranoside,saponin B as 24α-OH-yamogenin-3-O-[α-L-rhamnophyranosyl[(l→2)β-D-glucopyranoside;SaponinC as yamogenin-3-O-[α-L-rhamnophyranosyl(1→2)][β-D-glucopyranosyl(l→4)]β-D-glucopyranoside and saponinDas yamogenin-3-O-[ α-L-rhamnophyranosyl(l→2)[β-D-glucopyranosyl(1→3)]-β-D-glucopyranoside.The saponins are new and named zigiberoside A1、A2 A3 respectively.

Key words: Dioscorea zingiberensis