Saponins and Cardenolides

Abstract

Saponins are compounds that possess a polycyclic aglycone moiety with either a steroid (typically C27) or triterpenoid (C30) structure attached to a carbohydrate unit (a monosac-charide or oligosaccharide chain) (Fig. 24.1). These sugar units are composed variously of pentoses, hexoses, or uronic acids. The existence of uridine-5{\textasciiacutex}-diphosphate-glucose (UDPG).sterol transglucosylase activity in paniculate preparations from higher plants is well established (Goodwin, 1985).