Saponin Glycosides

By Aditi JoshiAsst. Professor

( M. Pharm. Pharmacognosy)

Dioscorea• Synonym = Yam • Biological source :- Part used : dried rhizome Plant: Dioscorea deltoidea

Dioscorea tokora Dioscorea composita family : Dioscoreaceae

Dioscorea

• Colour = Slightly brown• Odour = Odourless• Taste = Bitter and acrid• Size = Varies depending on the age of the rhizomes (tubers)

Dioscorea

Dioscorea deltoidea

Dioscorea

Dioscorea composita

Dioscorea

Dioscorea bulbifera

• Dioscorea species are true yams. • Not to be confused with a) Sweet potato or ratalu, shakarkand (Hindi)

b) Jimikand or suran (Hindi) • According to Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia,

"ratalu“ (Bengali) is Dioscorea bulbifera.

DioscoreaChemical Constituents :-• Dioscin (major glycoside)• Diosgenin (aglycone)• Smilagenin• Epi smilagenin• β – Yammogenin• Starch• sapogenase

Dioscorea

Structure of dioscin ( diosgenin + glycone part )

Dioscorea

Uses :-• Rheumatic arthritis treatment• Manufacturing of progestrone, other

steroids, contraceptives• Asthma treatment

LiquoriceSynonym :Glycyrrhiza

Biological Source :- Part used :

roots, stems, stolon Plant : Glycyrrhiza glabra (Spanish) G. glabra var. glandulifera

(Russian) family : Leguminosae

Liquorice or Glycyrrhiza• Colour = Externally- Yellowish brown / dark brown

Internally- Yellowish • Odour = Faint & characteristic• Taste = Sweet• Size = 20 to 50 cm (Length)

2 cm (Diameter)• Shape = Straight , cylindrical (Unpeeled drug)

Angular (Peeled drug )• Fracture : Fibrous (bark)

Splintery (wood)

Liquorice or Glycyrrhiza

Liquorice or Glycyrrhiza

Liquorice plant Liquorice roots

Liquorice or GlycyrrhizaChemical Constituents :-• Glycyrrhizin / glycyrrhizic acid (major glycoside)• Glycyrrhitic acid (aglycone)• Glucoronic acid• Liquiritoside; iso liquiritoside, liquiritin; iso

liquiritin (Flavonoid / Chalcone glycosides)• Sugars – Glucose, mannitol• Resin , Volatile oil• Starch

Liquorice or GlycyrrhizaUses :-• Demulcent (softening or soothing effect onto a mucous

membrane surface )

• Expectorant (helps bring up mucus and other material from the lungs, bronchi, and trachea)

• Masking agent for bitter drugs, Sweetener• Treatment of inflamations, rhematoid arthritis • Facilitate absorption of poorly absorbed drugs for eg. : anthraquinone glycosides (senna)

Liquorice or Glycyrrhiza

• Glycyrrhzin = sodium and fluid retention• Glycyrrhzin = potassium depletion• Hence, Not prescribed to a) Pregnant womenb) patients with cardiac problemsc) patients with hypertension (high BP)

Ginseng Synonym : Man root Biological source :- Part used : dried root Plant :

Panax ginseng (korean)

Panax japonica (Japan)

Panax notoginseng (Indian)

Panax pseudoginseng (Himalayan)family = Araliaceae

Ginseng

• Colour = Yellowish- brown White or Red

• Odour = None• Shape = Tuberous and corpulent

• Appearance = Translucent bears the stem scars

Ginseng

Ginseng plant Ginseng root

GinsengChemical Constituents :-• Ginsenosides (major glycosides)• Panaxosides (major glycosides)• Dammarol (aglycone from Ginsenosides)• Decomposition products from Panaxosides a) Oleanolic acid

b) Panaxadipol c) panaxatriol

• Chikusetu saponins• Resin , Volatile oil• Starch

Ginseng

Uses :-• Demulcent• Expectorant• Emetic • Stimulant• Tonic• Carminative

• Adaptogen• Treatment of Insomnia ShockDebility due to old age Loss of appetiteDiabetes• Improves stamina

Ginseng• Ginseng = Stimulatory to CNS

= Inhibitory to CNS = Increases hormone secretion

• Hence, Not prescribed to a) Pregnant womenb) patients with acute anxiety, depressionc) patients under age 40

Senega

Synonym : Snake root, Radix senega, Mandrake root•Biological source :- Part used :

dried roots root stocks Plant : Polygala senega (Allied drug = Polygala senega var. latifolia family = Polygalaceae

Senega• Colour = Brownish grey• Odour = Methyl Salicylate odour• Taste = Sweet Acrid • Size = 5 to 20 cm (Length)

3 to 10 cm (Diameter)• Fracture = Short (bark)

Splintery (wood)• Appearance : Crown = large, knotty

long tapering root normally curved, twisted having 2 or more large branches

Senega

Senega

Senega root

Senega

Senega plant

SenegaChemical Constituents :-• Senegin (major glycoside) = triterpenoid saponin• Polygallic acid (major glycoside) • Rhamnose + xylose + galactose (glycone from senegin)• Aglycone from senegin

a) Presenegin b) senegeninc) senegenic acid

• Magnesium & iron rich• Polygallitol (sweet taste of senega)• Tannic acid , Fixed oil• Cerin = yellow, bitter colouring matter

SenegaUses :-• Expectorant• Emetic• Treatment of chronic bronchitis• Relieve spasms• Sialagogue (promotes the flow of saliva)

(traditionally believed to treat snake bites, hence the name)

SarsaparillaSynonym : SmilaxBiological source :- Part used : dried roots Plant:Smilax ornata

Smilax officinalis (Jamaican variety) family = Liliaceae

SarsaparillaMorphology :-• Colour = dark red brown• Taste = bitter• Odour = odourless• Appearance = shrunken

furrowed longitudinally bears numerous rootlets

• Tough• Flexible (difficult to break)

Sarsaparilla

Sarsaparilla root Wild sarsaparilla

Sarsaparilla

Sarsaparilla plant

SarsaparillaChemical Constituents :-• Sarsaponin (major glycoside)• Sarsapogenin (aglycone)• Dextrose (glycone)

• Fatty acids –Behenic, Oleic, Lenolic, Palmitic, Stearic • Starch

Sarsaparilla

Structure of sarsaponin ( sarsapogenin + glycone part )

Sarsaparilla

Uses :-• Rheumatic arthritis treatment• Chronic skin diseases treatment• In syphilis• In passive dropsy (edema)(swelling of soft tissues due to the accumulation of

excess water)