Life Science Encyclopedia

Diosgenin, a steroid sapogenin, is the product of hydrolysis by acids, strong bases, or enzymes of saponins, extracted from the tubers of Dioscorea wild yam. The sugar-free, aglycone, diosgenin is used for the commercial synthesis of progesterone, cortisone, and other steroid products. The unmodified steroid has estrogenic activity and can reduce the level of serum cholesterol. It is present in Costus speciosus, Smilax menispermoidea, species of Paris, Trigonella, and Trillium, and many species of Dioscorea - D. althaeoides, colletti, futschauensis, gracillima, hispida, hypoglauca, nipponica, panthaica, parviflora, septemloba, and zingiberensis.^[1] Can be converted to synthetic pregnenolone and progesterone.

chemical name: Spirost-5-en-3-ol, (3beta,25R)-

Clinical Uses

• The progesterone component of early combined oral contraceptive pills.

References

1. ^ 2950 Diosgenin. Retrieved on 2007-05-29.