A rapid screening technique for detection of diosgenin through in situ cytophotometry.
Costus speciosus (Koenig) Sm. contains diosgenin, an important drug in family planning programs in India and underdeveloped countries. A simple, rapid method has been developed for in situ quantitation of diosgenin in this plant. The method is based on the formation of a suitable colored product of diosgenin in frozen sections of fresh material followed by determination of its optical density by in situ cytophotometry. The staining reagent is a combination of anisaldehyde, sulfuric acid and acetic acid. A positive correlation has been observed between cytophotometric diosgenin estimates and those derived from thin layer chromatography of extracts. The method is convenient for routine screening of plants for steroidal sapogenins such as diosgenin.
Kundu
A K
AK
Department of Botany, University of Calcutta, India.
Sharma
A K
AK
D000085:Acetates; D019342:Acetic Acid; D001547:Benzaldehydes; D004144:Diosgenin / Q000032:analysis*; D010944:Plants / Q000032:analysis*; D012502:Sapogenins / Q000032:analysis*; D013053:Spectrophotometry; D013194:Staining and Labeling / Q000379:methods*; D013464:Sulfuric Acids
D000085:Acetates; D001547:Benzaldehydes; D012502:Sapogenins; D013464:Sulfuric Acids; D004144:Diosgenin; C033158:sulfuric acid; D019342:Acetic Acid