Diosgenin

• Naturally, diosgenin is isolated from the dried tubers from different species of Dioscorea such as Dioscorea deltoidea, D. composita , Dioscorea floribunda Family: Dioscoreaceae

• In the Indian region Dioscorea deltoidea is available

• Those varieties which have more than 2 % of saponin concentration are industrially important.

• The solasodine is also extracted from the tubers of Dioscorea.

• Generally, 3-5 year old plants produce 1-8 % of total sapogenin.

• Generally, it exists in combined form as saponin glycoside; however, it may also occur in a free state.

• Diosgenin is found as rhamnose-rhamnose-glucoside, known as dioscin, in the tubers of commercially important species of Dioscorea.

Fermentation and Acid Hydrolysis Method:

• The fresh tubers of the plant are collected and smash with the help of a hammer mill.

• This smashed product is allowed for fermentation for around two days.

• Reduce the moisture from the fermented product by sun-drying up to 7-8 %

• Further, the product is hydrolyzed with the help of mineral acid under reduced temperature.

• It is then subjected to extraction with hydrocarbon (9 heptanes) to collect the diosgenin.

• The melting point of diosgenin is 204-207°C.

Estimation:

By UV standard curve method.

Prepare solution A (0.5 ml ρ-anisaldehyde in 99.5 ml ethyl acetate) and solution B (50 ml sulphuric acid with 50 ml ethyl acetate).

The test samples are dissolved in 2 ml ethyl acetate and add 1 ml of reagent A and B. Stirred well and maintain the temperature 60° C for 10 minutes to develop the colour.

Allow to cool at 25°C and measure the absorbance at 430 nm using ethyl acetate as blank.

Similarly, the calibration curve of standard diosgenin (2-70 µg) in ethyl acetate was made and determine the concentration of the unknown sample.

TLC Method:

Stationary phase: Silica gel G.

Mobile phase - Toluene: Ethyl acetate (7:3).

Detecting reagent: Anisaldehyde sulphuric acid.

HPTLC Method:

Stationary phase: Silica gel G plate.

Mobile phase - n-Hexane: Ethyl acetate (4:2).

Detecting reagent: 3 gm of antimony trichloride in 100 ml concentrated HCl. (Spot of green-black colour is observed the standard and sample are stands by using densitometer).

Utilization:

• Diosgenin is a very important precursor for the synthesis of a steroidal drug-like sex hormone, corticosteroids and anti-fertility compounds.

• The demand for corticosteroids is around 10000 kg but the production is around 4000 kg.

• The synthetic method for the production of diosgenin is very costly.

• Natural production of diosgenin is economically feasible.

• Along with the production of steroidal drugs diosgenin is also used for the treatment of natural hormone replacement therapy or rheumatic arthritis and digestive system improvement.