Acid hydrolysis of saponins extracted in tincture.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Saponins are secondary metabolites from plants added to shampoos and beverages to make them foam, and the sapogenins released from them upon acid hydrolysis are commonly used as starting materials for steroidal drugs. However, current methods embed the saponin in a thick "gum" material consisting of multiple impurities. This gum limits access to the saponin, reducing the efficiency of hydrolysis and requiring large amounts of heat, organic solvents and effort to recover the sapogenin. For centuries, herbalists have been making tinctures by soaking plant materials at room temperature, in mixtures of alcohol and water. Many herbal tinctures contain saponins floating freely in solution, gum free. The saponin from sarsaparilla (Smilax spp), sarsasaponin, yields the sapogenin

SUBMITTER: Love J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7774937 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature