Glotter, E., Faculty of Agriculture, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
Kirson, I., Department of Chemistry, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
Abraham, A., Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Center, Israel
Sethi, P.D., Departments of Chemistry and Pharmacology, Jawaharlal Institute, Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Pondicherry, India
Subramanian, S.S., Departments of Chemistry and Pharmacology, Jawaharlal Institute, Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Pondicherry, India

Four new steroidal lactones have been isolated from the leaves of Physalis minima (Solanaceae), along with the known physalin B (1) (major constituent). 5β,6β-Epoxyphysalin B (2b) is a 16α,24-cyclo-13,14-seco-steroid whose structure was established by comparison with the 5α,6α- and 5β,6β-epoxy-derivatives (2a and 6) and obtained by epoxidation of physalin B (1). Withaphysalins A (3) and B (7a) belong to the withanolide group, the first containing an 18,20-lactone and the latter an 18,20-lactol ring. The structure of withaphysalin C, C28H36O7, is still under investigation.