The genus Pulsatilla contains about 33 species of herbaceous perennials native to meadows and prairies of North America, Europe, and Asia. Pulsatilla cernua (Thunb.) Berchtet Opiz. Plants 14--28 cm tall. Rhizome to 10 cm, 5--7 mm in diam. Leaves 4--6, not fully expanded at anthesis; petiole 4.5--14 cm, with thick long pilose hairs.
Two new triterpenoid saponins, named cernuaside C and D, have been isolated from Pulsatilla cernua (Thunb.) Bercht. et Opiz. The structures of the two new triterpenoid saponins were elucidated as 3-O-beta-D-xylopyranosyl(1 --> 2)-[alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1 --> 3)]-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl oleanolic acid 28-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1 --> 4)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl(1 --> 6)-beta-D-glucopyranoside. (1) and 3-O-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl (1 --> 3)-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1 --> 2)-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl oleanolic acid 28-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (2) by 1D, 2D-NMR techniques, ESI-MS analysis as well as chemical methods.