PURPOSE: To obtain the subject new saponins, having suppressing activities against saccharide absorption, used as a medicine, a healthy food and a beverage, etc., and useful as a suppressant, etc., for saccharide absorption by extracting a root bark and tree bark, etc., of Aralia elata Seem. of the family Araliaceae with methanol. etc., and carrying out the purifying treatment of the resultant extract.

CONSTITUTION: The new saponins (salt) of Aralia elata Seem. are represented by the formula [elatoside E is oleanolic acid 3-O-{β-D-glucopyranosyl(1→3)-[β-D- xylopyranosyl(1→2)]-α-L-arabinopyranoside}; elatoside F is 28-O-β-D- glucopyranosyl oleanolic acid 3-O-{β-D-glucopyranosyl(1→3)-[β-D-xylopyranosyl(1→2)]-α-L-arabinopyranoside}], have suppressing activities against saccharide absorption and are useful as a medicine, a food and a beverage, etc., for preventing or treating diabetes, obesity, hyperlipemia, rhematic arthritis, etc., or for tonifying, etc. The compounds are obtained by extracting a root bark or a tree bark of Aralia elata Seem. with methanol, etc., concentrating the resultant extract solution and carrying out the partitioning treatment with water and an organic solvent.