Two New Triterpenoid Saponins with Antifungal Activity from Camellia sinensis Flowers.

Two new triterpenoid saponins, namely camsinsaponins A and B (1, 2), along with two known congeners (3, 4) were isolated from Camellia sinensis flowers. Their structures were determined by extensive spectroscopic data. All compounds were assessed for antifungal bioactivity against Candida albicans, Candida glabrata, and Candida tropicalis. Compounds 1-4 showed excellent inhibitory effects. Notably, in regard to compounds 1 and 2, their MIC values against C. albicans were close to those of the positive control, fluconazole. Furthermore, the inhibitory elements of compounds 1-4 on C. glabrata were better than those of fluconazole. The aforementioned findings offer valuable insights for future development of novel therapeutic strategies against drug-resistant infections.