Diosgenin, a steroid sapogenin, is the product of hydrolysis by acids, strong bases, or enzymes of saponins, extracted from the tubers of Dioscorea wild yam, such as the Kokoro.
More modern uses of saponins in biotechnology are as adjuvants in vaccines: Quil A and its derivative QS-21, isolated from the bark of Quillaja saponaria Molina, to stimulate both the Th1 immune response and the production of cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CTLs) against exogenous antigens make them ideal for use in subunit vaccines and vaccines directed against intracellular pathogens as well as for therapeutic cancer vaccines but with the aforementioned side-effects of hemolysis.
The key components of ISCOMs are the Quillaja saponins, which are derived from the bark of the Chilean soap-bark tree Quillaja saponaria Molina.
The key components of ISCOMs are the Quillaja saponins, which are derived from the bark of the Chilean soap-bark tree Quillaia saporinaria Molina.
The research groups of Professor Hendrik Fuchs (Charité University, Berlin, Germany) and Dr David Flavell (Southampton General Hospital, United Kingdom) are working together toward the development of Gypsophila saponins for use in combination with immunotoxins or other targeted toxins for patients with leukaemia, lymphoma and other cancers.
Unrelated plants in the genus Sapindus produce highly toxic saponins and share the common name soapberry with the edible Canada Buffaloberry.