Surface-active natural saponins. Properties, safety, and efficacy

Abstract

In the future, cleaning products must fulfil the principles of green chemistry while maintaining efficacy against bacteria. This study aims to evaluate the detergent properties, ecotoxicity, and anti-biofilm potential of natural saponins compared to synthetic surfactants. We tested sodium dodecyl sulphate, quillaja saponin, escin, and sapogenin for emulsifying capacity, critical micelle concentration, ecotoxicity to yeast, and antibacterial and anti-biofilm potential against bacteria. The results show that the emulsifying capacities of quillaja saponin and sodium dodecyl sulphate are similar, while the critical micelle concentration for quillaja saponin is much lower. Furthermore, the antibacterial and antibiofilm potentials are much higher for quillaja saponin than for synthetic sodium dodecyl sulphate. Moreover, we have shown that natural saponins are less toxic to the S. cerevisiae than synthetic saponin is. All these facts indicate that quillaja is a suitable candidate to replace synthetic products as it meets the requirements of efficacy and safety.