2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29
Saponins are complex glycosides. They are found in plants together with essential oils, fats, resins and in rare cases with alkaloids. Saponins do not contain sulfur and nitrogen in their molecule. Their significance for the plant organism has not yet been clarified. Some believe that they act as reserve substances and have a certain protective role against grazing animals.
The name of this large group of adipose compounds comes from the Latin "sapo" - soap. This is due to the fact that their aqueous solutions foam when shaken and form a stable foam that does not disappear for a long time. Saponins are colorless substances with good solubility in water.
In its pure form, saponins are non-crystalline. Under the action of dilute acids, they break down into a sugar part and a special type of aglycone called sapogenin. Saponins are poisonous to animals that have a constant blood temperature / fish, snakes, reptiles /. On the other hand, saponins are good for human health, which is why they are part of a number of preparations.
Types of saponins
Depending on the chemical structure of sapogenins, there are two main groups saponins:
Steroid saponins - are chemically similar to sex hormones, sterols and cardiac glycosides. They are of great importance as a raw material for the production of steroid hormones and cortisone derivatives. Steroids saponins are found mainly in the families Potato, Bean, Cream and others. They play an important role in the synthesis of steroid hormones and cortisone derivatives.
Triterpene saponins - the sapogenins of these glycosides are triterpenes. The most important are found in horse chestnut, soap, licorice, primrose, ginseng and ivy.
The strongest cytostatic of plant origin so far remains triterpene saponin, which is isolated from cyclamen, but is not used due to its strong toxicity. Triterpenes saponins are used in practice mainly in the composition of expectorants.
Sources of saponins
As it turned out, saponins are found mainly in plants. One of the most popular plants, a source of steroid saponin is the herb grandma's teeth. As far back as 1970, the plant was used in preparations that stimulate metabolism.
Other important sources saponins are soap, primrose, ivy, horse chestnut. In general, most medicinal plants contain different species saponins.
Benefits of saponins
Saponins have a variety of pharmacological properties and medical applications. They show hemolytic activity. Saponins help in the absorption of fats, carbohydrates and other substances in the body. Some of them have the ability to raise blood pressure and affect metabolism, as well as strengthen the body.
Therefore, they are used very often in medical practice. They are also used in medicine because of their good expectorant action, but the anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory and sexual stimulating action should not be underestimated.
They are also used in medications to treat atherosclerosis. Diosgenin is important because it produces a number of known steroids - corticosteroids, hormones and others.
Some steroids saponins have excellent antifungal and antibacterial action. Triterpene saponins, in turn, have the interesting property of facilitating the absorption of substances in the digestive system.
Many plants around the world synthesize saponins, suggesting that their natural role is to protect them from natural pathogens. Due to the great chemical diversity of steroidal and triterpene saponins, interest and research on these substances has been revived in recent years, especially as potential chemotherapeutic agents.
According to studies from 2005, saponins have immunomodulatory and anticancer effects, affect the permeability of cell membranes.
