The bioactivity of saponins: triterpenoid and steroidal glycosides.
Triterpenoid and steroidal glycosides, referred to collectively as saponins, are bioactive compounds present naturally in many plants. They have considerable potential as pharmaceutical and/or nutraceutical agents in natural or synthetic form. Saponins, from a variety of sources, have been shown to have hypocholesterolemic, anti-coagulant, anticarcinogenic, hepatoprotective, hypoglycemic, immunomodulatory, neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant activity. This paper reviews saponin research of the last decade, focussing on developments in understanding their mechanism of action and structure-activity relationships. Virtually all of this work has used animal and in vitro models. To date there are very few human data.
Rao
A V
AV
Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto, ON, Canada. v.rao@utoronto.ca
Gurfinkel
D M
DM
D000818:Animals; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000494:pharmacology; D001777:Blood Coagulation / Q000187:drug effects; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000187:drug effects; D002319:Cardiovascular System / Q000187:drug effects; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D007107:Immune System / Q000187:drug effects; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D016296:Mutagenesis / Q000187:drug effects; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D012503:Saponins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured / Q000187:drug effects
D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D001786:Blood Glucose; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents; D012503:Saponins