https://thenaturopathicherbalist.com/plant-constituents/saponins/
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Saponins are found in many plants and gained their name because like soap, they form a lather when combined with water
Chemically they are based on a Steroid or Triterpene fat-soluble base joined to a water-soluble sugar molecule, creating a detergent that results in the emulsification of fat-soluble molecules in the digestive tract of the body. Note: Both steroid & Triterpene types usually found existing together.
In plants saponins are found especially in plant skins where they form a waxy protective coating. It has also been found that saponins are a major part of the plants’ active immune system and function as a ”natural antibiotic” for plants.
The chemical structure of steroidal saponins is similar to that of many of the body’s hormones, for example estrogen and cortisol, and many plants containing them have a marked hormonal activity. Their aglycone portion is referred to as the sapogenin. Note: the steroidal saponins in Dioscorea villosa (Wild Yam) were the basis from which the contraceptive pill was first developed and currently many bioidentical hormones.
Triterpenoid saponins have less hormonal activity. They are often expectorant and will aid absorption of nutrients.
Among the chemical properties of saponins, their polarity, hydrophobicity and nature of the reactive groups seem important determinants of their biological properties, and has also made them difficult compounds to both isolate and research.
Major Actions of Saponins in the Body:
Properties of saponin containing herbs are many & varied and may include alterative, diuretic, expectorant, anti-catarrhal, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, aphrodisiac, antioxidant, emmenagogue, cardiac stimulant, hormone modulating, hepatoprotective, and adrenal adaptogenic effects. Possibly their most important property is to accelerate the body’s ability to absorb other active compounds. Some of their more specific noted effects include:
- Hepatoprotective providing Kuppfer cell support in the liver promoting detoxification
- Adaptogen (or Adrenal tonic effect) & Hormone modulating by mimicing our endogenous hormones and specifcally sparing cortisol
- Stimulating expectorant effect via activation of mucociliary escalator and mucous membrane irritation
- Diuretic effect via local irritation of kidney epithelia
- Gentle Detoxifiers eliminating toxic buildup in various ways throughout the body
- Cholesterol lowering by binding with cholesterol so it cannot be re-absorbed into the system. Bile acids form mixed micelles with cholesterol, facilitating its absorption. Saponins cause a depletion of body cholesterol by preventing its reabsorption, thus increasing its excretion, in much the same way as other cholesterol-lowering drugs (sequestrants). Note: The binding of bile acids by saponins has other important implications, as primary bile acids are metabolized by bacteria in the colon, producing secondary bile acids which can be promoters of colon cancer (see anti-cancer effects).
- Anti-cancer – The proposed mechanism of anti-carcinogenic properties of saponins include antioxidant effect, direct and select cytotoxicity of cancer cells, immune-modulation, acid and neutral sterol metabolism and regulation of cell proliferation. Cancer cells also have more cholesterol-type compounds in their membranes than normal cells, thus as saponins can bind cholesterol and they may interfere with cell growth and division of cancer cells.
Toxicity Effects
Saponins can have an irritating effect on mucous membranes of the respiratory and digestive tract, potentially causing sneezing, bloating, gastroenteritis, nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting.
Saponins have also been noted for their hemolytic properties as they can effectively “dissolve” the cell walls of red blood cells and disrupt them when taken intravenous or intramuscularly. When take orally however they are comparatively harmless or they are not absorbed at all.
Note: Humans generally do not suffer severe poisoning from saponins. Our cholesterin inactivates them so that only our mucus membranes are affected. Some however are poisonous if swallowed and can cause urticaria (skin rash) in many people. Any markedly toxic saponin is known as a sapotoxin.
Herbal examples:
- Dioscorea villosa (Wild Yam)
- Panax ginseng (Chinese or Korean Ginseng)
- Glycyrrhiza glabra (Licorice)
- Aesculus hippocastanum (Horsechestnut)
- Medicago sativa (Alfalfa)
- Smilax sp. (Sarpsarilla)
- Convalleria majalis (Lily of the Valley)
What Are Steroidal Saponins?
When you hear the word ‘steroidal’ being used to describe any food or supplement, it may well set off alarm bells. Of course a lot of guys would love to get many of the positive benefits of steroids in a safe and natural manner – but none of us want the increased body hair, the acne or the liver disease…
Rest assured that saponins are not steroidal in that sense but that also means they aren’t going to transform your muscle mass or your sex drive. Let’s take a closer look at precisely what saponins are and where the name comes from…
Introducing Saponins
Saponins can be found in over 100 different plant families and sources include beans, legumes, yucca and yams. They can be processed into a foam, which allows them to be added to a range of products – including shampoos, soaps and more. Which doesn’t mean you should start eating soap…
The main health benefit of saponins is to help reduce the absorption of cholesterol in the blood and to lower LDL (low density lipoprotein) cholesterol. This is the ‘bad’ kind of cholesterol that leads to heart disease, high blood pressure and various other health complaints and thus it is a good thing to try and reduce it.
There are more health benefits of saponins too – they are believed to reduce the likelihood of colon cancer for example by combating the build-up of acidic bile that can cause damage. They also appear to be anti-carcinogenic generally and can prevent the formation of tumors. All the more reason to get more legumes, nuts and plants in your diet!
Why Are Saponins Steroidal?
The reason that saponins are considered ‘steroidal’ is that they may have some positive impact on levels of testosterone – the male hormone that increases muscle mass, fat burning and libido. The way this may work is by increasing the amount of good cholesterol in the blood. There is a link here, seeing as sex hormones are actually made in the body from cholesterol. Thus, by raising the availability of good cholesterol, it is possible to increase the amount of steroid hormones and thereby bring about the associated positive changes.
For these reasons, saponins can be considered ‘steroidal’ but it’s important to note that their effect is nowhere near that of steroids. In the best case scenario, you are looking at an increase in testosterone of around 30%, which isn’t likely to result in any visible changes in body composition. The reason that steroids can increase muscle mass is that they result in an increase of several hundred percent. This also carries a range of significant risks however, which saponins do not possess.
For these reasons, saponins are enjoyed as a moderate testosterone boosting supplement by many athletes, as well as men looking to increase their energy levels, libido and sleep. The most popular example of a steroidal saponin used for this purpose is tribulus terrestris, which is one of the most abundant ingredients in testosterone boosting supplements.
