Canadian Medical Guide > Chemicals and Drugs > Carbohydrates and Hypoglycemic Agents > Carbohydrates > Glycosides > Saponins Terms and Definitions




Saponins

Medical Definition: Sapogenin glycosides. A type of glycoside widely distributed in plants. Each consists of a sapogenin as the aglycon moiety, and a sugar. The sapogenin may be a steroid or a triterpene and the sugar may be glucose, galactose, a pentose, or a methylpentose. Sapogenins are poisonous towards the lower forms of life and are powerful hemolytics when injected into the blood stream able to dissolve red blood cells at even extreme dilutions.
Guide Notes: glycosides found in plants
Also Called: Saponin
Saponins Categories.
Canadian Medical Guide Definition Escin - Saponin occurring in the seed of the horse chestnut tree. Inhibits edema formation and decreases vascular fragility.
Canadian Medical Guide Definition Holothurin - A highly toxic saponin occurring in the tropical sea cucumber, Holothuriodeae, phylum Echinodermata. This marine toxin is an anionic surfactant, hemolyzing red blood corpuscles. It acts irreversibly to destroy the excitability at cholinergic neuromuscular junctions.

Saponins Medical Definitions and Terms

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