saponin

saponin
/sap"euh nin/, n. Biochem.
any of a group of amorphous glycosides of terpenes and steroids, occurring in many plants, characterized by an ability to form emulsions and to foam in aqueous solutions, and used as detergents.
[1825-35; < F saponine < L sapon- (s. of sapo) SOAP + F -ine -IN2]

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      any of numerous substances, occurring in plants, that form stable foams with water, including the constituents of digitalis and squill that affect the heart and another group that does not affect the heart.

      Saponins affecting the heart have been used as arrow and spear poisons by African and South American natives. digitalis, from purple foxglove, Digitalis purpurea, was introduced into heart therapy in 1785 by the Scottish physician William Withering. The non-cardiac-active saponins include digitonin, which was recognized in digitalis preparations in 1875; and dioscin, the precursor of diosgenin, which is obtained from a Mexican yam.

      A small group of triterpenoid saponins has been isolated from soybeans.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Saponin — Sap o*nin, n. [L. sapo, onis soap: cf. F. saponine.] (Chem.) A poisonous glucoside found in many plants, as in the root of soapwort ({Saponaria}), in the bark of soap bark ({Quillaia}), etc. It is extracted as a white amorphous powder, which… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Saponin — (Saponaceum, Senegin), ein eigenthümlicher Stoff aus der levantischen Seifenwurzel (Gypsophylla struthium) u. aus der Quillayrinde (Quillaja saponaria). Man erhält es aus der Seifenwurzel, indem man dieselbe mit Alkohol von 80 Procent einige… …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Saponin — Saponin, s. Glykoside …   Lexikon der gesamten Technik

  • Saponin — Saponīn, Struthiin, Quillaiin, Senegin, Polygalin Githagin, Monesin, ein Glykosid in der Wurzel des Seifenkrauts, in der Senegawurzel, Seifenrinde, Kornrade, wird durch Auskochen mit Alkohol gewonnen, weißes, süßlich schmeckendes Pulver, das… …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon

  • saponin — [sap′ə nin] n. [Fr saponine < L sapo (see SAPONIFY) + in, IN1] any of a group of glycosides, found in soapbark, etc., which form a soapy foam when dissolved in water: used as detergents, etc …   English World dictionary

  • Saponin — Saponins Chemical structure of the saponin solanine Saponins are a class of chemical compounds, one of many secondary metabolites found in natural sources, with saponins found in particular abundance in various plant species. More specifically,… …   Wikipedia

  • saponin — noun Etymology: French saponine, from Latin sapon , sapo Date: 1831 any of various mostly toxic glucosides that occur in plants (as soapwort or soapbark) and are characterized by the property of producing a soapy lather; especially a hygroscopic… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • Saponin — Digitonin – das giftige Steroidsaponin aus dem Fingerhut Digitalis purpurea …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • saponin — sa·po·nin sap ə nən, sə pō n any of various mostly toxic glucosides that occur in plants (as soapbark) and are characterized by the property of producing a soapy lather esp a hygroscopic amorphous saponin mixture used esp. as a foaming and… …   Medical dictionary

  • saponín — a m (ȋ) nav. mn., kem. strupen glikozid z milu podobnimi lastnostmi: saponin divjega kostanja; zdravilni učinki saponinov …   Slovar slovenskega knjižnega jezika

  • saponin —    Any plant glycoside with soapy action that can be digested to yield a sugar and a sapogenin aglycone. Many (but not all) saponins can be toxic and speed up hemoglobin degradation. Some herbs with important saponin constituents are Yucca and… …   Herbal-medical glossary

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