Euphorbiaceae

Phytochemical investigation of the roots of Ricinus communis L.  (Euphorbiaceae), used to cure  lumbago and toothache, led to the isolation of acyl glycosides characterized as n-octadec-9-enoyl β-D-glucopyranoside (4), n- octadecanoyl-b-D-glucopyranoside (5), n -docosany1-β-D-gluco- pyranoside (6), n-hexadecanoyl β-D-glucuranopyranoside (7) and n-octadecanoyl- β- arabinopyranosyl – (2→1″) – β- arabinopyranoside (9), a trisaccharide β-D-glucuranopyranosyl-(2→1)-β-D-arabinopyranosyl-(2→1) -β-D-arabinopyranoside (8), a tetraglycoside β- D- glucopyranosyl- (2®1)- β - D- arabinopyranosyl-(2®1)-β- D- arabinopyranosyl - (2®1)- β -D-arabinopyranoside (10), a triterpenic glucoside α-amyrin β-D-glucopyranoside (1) and two steroidal glycosides viz., stigmasterol β-L-arabinopyranoside(2) and β-sitosterol β-D-glucopyranoside(3). The structures of all these glycosides, isolated from the roots for the first time,  have been characterized on the basis of spectral data analysis and chemical reactions.