Sell - Diosgenin
Specification: 95%

Diosgenin, a sapogenin, is the product of hydrolysis by acids, strong bases, or enzymes of saponins, extracted from the tubers of Dioscorea wild yam. The sugar-free (aglycone), diosgenin is used for the commercial synthesis of cortisone, pregnenolone, progesterone, and other products.

Contents
1 Sources
2 Clinical Uses
3 References
4 External links

Sources
It is present in Costus speciosus, Smilax menispermoidea, species of Paris, Trigonella, and Trillium, and many species of Dioscorea - D. althaeoides, colletti, futschauensis, gracillima, hispida, hypoglauca, mexicana[1] nipponica, panthaica, parviflora, septemloba, and zingiberensis.[2]

Clinical Uses
Diosgenin is the precursor for the semisynthesis of progesterone[3] which in turn was used in early combined oral contraceptive pills.[4] The unmodified has estrogenic activity[5] and can reduce the level of serum cholesterol.[6]

References
^ "Dioscorea mexicana information". Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved on 2008-09-14.