Eight steroidal saponins have been isolated from Yucca schidigera Roezl. trunk, and their structures were established by spectral (MS and NMR) techniques. These included three novel furostanol glycosides including 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->2)-[beta-D-xylopyranosyl-(1-->3)]-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-5 beta(25R)-furostan-3 beta,22 alpha,26-triol 26-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside, 3-O-beta-D-glcopyranosyl-(1-->2)-[beta-D-xylopyranosyl-(1-->3)]-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-5 beta(25R)-furost-20(22)-en-3 beta,26-diol-12-one 26-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside, 3-O-beta-D-glcopyranosyl-(1-->2)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-5 beta(25R)-furostan-3 beta,22 alpha,26-triol 26-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside, and five known spirostanol glycosides. On the basis of the extraction efficiency, furostanol glycosides made up only 6.8% of total saponins isolated.

Five phenolic constituents have been identified in Yucca schidigera bark, and their structures were established by spectral (FABMS and NMR) experiments. These included two known stilbenes, trans-3,4',5-trihydroxystilbene (resveratrol) and trans-3,3',5,5'-tetrahydroxy-4'-methoxystilbene, as well as three novel compounds, yuccaols A, B, and C, with spiro-structures rarely occurring in the plant kingdom. It is suggested that yuccaols A-C are biosynthethized via attachment of a stilbenic derivative to the carbocationic intermediate of the oxidative flavanone-flavonol conversion.