shrub widely distributed throughout China. The anomalous fruits of G. sinensis (AFGS) have long been known in traditional Chinese medicine as a saponin-rich herbal medicine for treating various diseases, such as apoplexy, headache, productive cough, asthma and scabies. In previous studies, we demonstrated that the 70% ethanol extract of AFGS attenuated immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated immediate ...

Saponins from the seeds of C sinensis var. sinensis (tea seed saponins) have been well investigated. Their sapogenins, theasapogenols A, B, C, D, and E, were isolated and identified by Yosioka et al.i-3) Two major tea seed saponins, theasaponins Ei and E2, have also been recently determined,4) Saponins from the leaves of C sinensis var. sinensis (tea leaf saponins) were first studied by Machida...

The antiprotozoal effect of saponins is transitory, as when saponins are deglycosylated to sapogenins by rumen microorganisms they become inactive. We hypothesised that the combination of saponins with glycosidase-inhibiting iminosugars might potentially increase the effectiveness of saponins over time by preventing their deglycosylation in the rumen. Alternatively, modifying the structure of t...

Enhanced production of total saponins was obtained from 40 day old suspension cultures of Bacopa monnieri. The callus yielded not only a 166% increased concentration of saponins but also produced two novel prominent bands of saponins compared to the natural plant system. We report here for the first time an increased potential of cell lines of B. monnieri in suspension for production of saponin...

Twelve new dammarane-type glycosides ( 1- 12) were isolated from the ethanol extract from the roots of a wild-type of Gynostemma pentaphyllum. The structures of the compounds were elucidated by 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic analysis as well as by chemical degradation. The compounds contained six structurally diverse aglycons similar to those of the reported ginseng saponins with differences in th...