Saponins from Triterpenes

Saponins are plant compounds, close relatives of the cardiac glycosides. They consist of a sterol or triterpenoid joined to a sugar. They make a strong foam when shaken with water. They are bitter-tasting and generally toxic to lower forms of life. They have been much used by primitive people for killing fish. 

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Dou, D.-Q., Chen, Y.-J., Liang, L.-H., Pang, F.-G., Shimizu, N., and Takeda, T. (2001). Six new dammarane-type triterpene saponins from the leaves of Panax ginseng. Chem. Pharm. Bull. 49, 442-446. 

Tran, Q. L., Adnyana, I. K., Tezuka, Y., Nagaoka, T., Tran, Q. K., and Kadota, S. (2001). Triterpene saponins from Vietnamese ginseng (Panax vietnamensis) and their hepatocy-toprotective activity. /. Nat. Prod. 64, 456 61. 

Human taste response is modified by several plant-derived substances. The detergent sodium dodecyl sulfate, as well as triterpene saponins from the leaves of several plant species (most notably Gymnema sylvestre and Ziziphus jujuba) will temporarily inhibit the sweet taste sensation in man the duration of the effect being about one hour for G. sylvestre and about fifteen minutes for Z. jujuba. The mechanism of action seems to be related, in part, to the surfactant properties of the materials. Structures of the modifiers and possible mechanisms of action are discussed. 

Kuljanabhagavad, T., Thongphasuk, P., Chamulitrat, W., and Wink, M. (2008). Triterpene saponins from Chenopodium quinoa Willd. Phytochemistry 69,1919-1926. 

Amoros M, Girre RL (1987) Structure of Two Antiviral Triterpene Saponins from Anagallis arvensis. Phytochemistry 26 787... 

Asiaticoside, an ursane-type triterpene saponin from Centella asiatica has been shown to stimulate skin human fibroblasts collagen I synthesis in vitro. By comparison asiaticoside and asiatic acid, it seemed that the sugar moiety was not necessary for this activity [223]. 

Asiaticoside. Saponin-like triterpene glycoside C48H78O, Mr 959.14, mp. 235-238°C, [aln -14° (C2H5OH) from the leaves of the Asian marsh pennywort, Centella asiatica Hydrocotyle asiatica, Apia-ceae). A. shows antibiotic activity against Gram-positive bacteria and mycobacteria and has a wound-healing effect. 

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