PCOG CH11 - Saponins

1. What is the Latin root word for "soap," from which "saponin" is derived?

Sapo

2. Which plant root is traditionally used in Europe for its detergent properties?

Saponaria officinalis

3. Saponins produce a frothing aqueous solution and also have which property?

Hemolytic

4. When saponins are hydrolyzed by acids, the aglycone produced is called

5. How many main types of saponins are recognized based on aglycone structure?

Two

6. The steroidal saponins are commonly which type of triterpenoids?

Tetracyclic

7. Which type of saponin is less widely distributed in nature?

Steroidal

8. Steroidal saponins are pharmaceutically important due to their relation to which of the following?

Sex hormones

9. Which steroidal saponin is found in Smilax spp.?

Parillin

10. Digitonin contains which sugar components?

2 glucose, 2 galactose, 1 xylose

11. Gitonin is found in which plant?

Digitalis purpurea

12. Dioscin is composed of which sugars?

1 glucose, 2 rhamnose

13. Dioscin occurs in which genus?

Dioscorea

14. Tubers of many Dioscorea species are rich in starch and also contain

15. Sapogenins are isolated from saponins by

16. Which Dioscorea species is found in Transvaal and Natal?

D. sylvatica

17. Diosgenin is obtained from D. mexicana and D. composita in which region?

Mexico and Central America

18. Which Dioscorea species is cultivated in Guatemala and India?

D. floribunda

19. Hocogenin is obtained commercially as the acetate from which plant?

Agave sisalana

20. The yield of hocogenin acetate from sisal leaves is approximately

21. Which plant is a potential industrial source of diosgenin?

Trigonella foenum-graecum

22. Fenugreek has been demonstrated to have all of the following properties EXCEPT

23. The soya plant, Glycine max, is extensively cultivated for its

24. Soya seeds contain appreciable quantities of which phytosterols?

Stigmasterol and sitosterol

25. Stigmasterol and sitosterol are not sapogenins but are included because they are used for

26. Both stigmasterol and sitosterol are now processed by

27. Sarsaparilla consists of dried roots and rhizomes of species of

28. Mexican sarsaparilla is also known as

29. Which botanical source corresponds to Honduran sarsaparilla?

Smilax regelii

30. Sarsaparilla was formerly used in treating

31. Sarsaparilla is included in the BHP (1960) for treatment of

32. Sarsaparilla is widely used as a vehicle in

33. The genins from sarsaparilla are used in partial synthesis of

34. Butcher’s broom consists of dried roots and rhizomes of which plant?

Ruscus aculeatus

35. One sapogenin found in Ruscus aculeatus is

36. Ruscogenin is chemically

37. Butcher’s broom extracts have which activity?

Anti-inflammatory

38. Butcher’s broom produces diminished capillary permeability and exerts

39. In continental Europe, ointments and suppositories containing Butcher’s broom are used for conditions responding to

40. Siberian ginseng consists of dried organs of

41. Eleutherococcus has been used in Chinese medicine for

42. In former USSR countries and Western Europe, Eleutherococcus is employed as

43. Panax ginseng belongs to which family?

Araliaceae

44. In Asia, Panax ginseng is used for all of the following EXCEPT

45. In the West, ginseng is described as ‘adaptogenic’ meaning it improves

46. Many ginseng products are available as

47. Pentacyclic triterpenoid saponins are rare in

48. Liquorice root is derived from all of the following EXCEPT

49. Liquorice has long been used in pharmacy as

50. Unlike cortisone, liquorice may give symptomatic relief from

51. Glycyrrhizin gel enhances skin penetration by drugs and also has

52. Primula root BP/EP consists of dried rhizome and root of

53. Primula root is used as

54. Quillaia bark is also known as

55. Quillaia belongs to which family?

Rosaceae

56. Quillaia contains approximately what percentage of saponins?

10%

57. Quillaia is used as

58. Senega root consists of dried root crown and root of

59. Senega belongs to which family?

Polygalaceae

60. Senega is used as

61. Senega is often prescribed with

62. European goldenrod consists of dried flowering aerial parts of

63. European goldenrod is used traditionally for

64. European goldenrod is also used externally for

65. Goldenrod BP/EP consists of flowering parts of Solidago gigantea or

66. Goldenrod belongs to which family?

Compositae

67. In European phytotherapy, goldenrod is used for

68. Centella asiatica is also known as

69. Centella belongs to which family?

Umbelliferae (Apiaceae)

70. The BHP (1983) lists centella as all of the following EXCEPT

71. Topically, centella is used as

72. Centella is included in medicinal creams and cosmetic preparations for

73. Ivy leaf extract is obtained from which plant?

Hedera helix

74. Ivy belongs to which family?

Araliaceae

75. Ivy leaf extracts are traditionally used as

76. Ivy is also used for

77. In excess, ivy saponins cause

78. Externally, ivy is used for

79. Which properties have been reported for ivy saponins?

Molluscicidal, antibacterial, antileishmanial

80. The reference textbook cited in the PDF is by

81. The 16th edition of Trease and Evans Pharmacognosy was published in

82. The publisher of the reference is

83. Saponins injected into the bloodstream are

84. Saponins have high molecular weight and high polarity, making their isolation

85. As glycosides, saponins hydrolyze to give sapogenin and

86. The steroidal saponin digitonin occurs in seeds of

87. The steroidal saponin gitonin contains which sugars?

1 glucose, 2 galactose, 1 xylose

88. Which Dioscorea species is found in Japan?

D. tokoro

89. Dioscorea nipponica is found in

90. Fenugreek seeds are a potential source of

91. Fenugreek is widely employed in traditional medicine for its

92. Sarsaparilla varieties include all of the following EXCEPT

93. The rhizomes of Ruscus aculeatus contain saponins related to those of

94. The adaptogenic qualities of Eleutherococcus have been utilized in

95. Panax ginseng has been used in Chinese medicine for how many years?

2000 years

96. Glycyrrhizin gel can act as a useful vehicle for topical drugs because it

97. Quillaia bark contains not less than what percentage of BP ethanol (45%) soluble extractive?

22.0%

98. Senega is often used with other expectorants such as

99. Centella is listed in BHP (1983) as a mild diuretic and also as

100. Ivy leaf is collected in which season according to the PDF?

Spring