Uses of Saponin
Saponins are glycosides (a molecule in which the sugar is bound to a small non-carbohydrate organic molecule) with special foaming characteristics, according to the Cornell University Department of Animal Science. They get their name from Soponaria, a soapwort plant. Even the word for these substances is rooted in soap, as "sapo" is the Latin word for soap.
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The Facts
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Saponins are made up of a polycyclic aglycone that is either a triterpenoid (a large group of compounds arranged in a four- to five-ring configuration of several oxygen atoms and 30 carbon atoms) or a choline steroid, according to Cornell. The aglycone is called the sapogenin and the steroid saponins are referred to as saraponins. Saponins' ability to create foam is the result of the combination of a water-soluble side chain with a nonpolar (a compound that shares the electrons from two different atoms equally) sapogenin.
Features
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Saponins are phytochemicals (chemical compounds naturally found in plants) that can be found in a variety of herbs, beans and vegetables, according to Herbs 2000. While soybeans are a popular source of saponins, they are also found in peas, soap root, soapberry and soapbark. Furthermore, commercial saponins are extracted from Yucca schidigera a (flowering plant also known as Spanish Dagger) and Quillaja saponaria (an evergreen tree sometimes referred to as soapbark).
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Function
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Among the pharmacological uses for saponin is that they cause lysis (the death of cells), particularly blood cells, according to Herb 2000. Saponins also result in haemolysis (the breaking open of cells) and are therefore considered highly toxic. In the past, saponins have been used to apply poison to arrow tips to be used in war.
Uses
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Because saponins are bitter they also detract from the palatability of livestock feed. Cornell University reports that some saponins reduce the intake of feed and retard the growth rate of nonruminant animals (animals that have one stomach, rather than the four found in cattle, for instance). Among their less harsh effects, however, saponins are also used to increase a body's ability to absorb silicon and calcium and as a result to increase the body's ability to digest. These types of saponins are typically found in spinach and oats.
Benefits
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Saponins are known to aid in absorption of vital minerals and to improve digestion. These types of saponins include beetroot, asparagus and many other legumes. Furthermore, Herbs 2000.com attributes the popularity of some saponins to the benefits of their "extraordinary systemic effects." These substances include akebia trfoliata, bupleurum chinense (both Chinese remedies) and scrophularia nodosa (figwort); they function as anti-inflammatories. Zea mays (corn silk) and Betula pendula (silver birch) are known for their diuretic properties.
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