Diosgenin
Diosgenin (pronounced: dye-OSS-je-nin) is a steroidal saponin that is used in the commercial synthesis of various hormones, such as progesterone and cortisone. It is derived from several species of plants, including the Dioscorea genus, from which it gets its name.
Etymology
The term "Diosgenin" is derived from the genus name Dioscorea, which is named after the ancient Greek physician and botanist Dioscorides. The suffix "-genin" is derived from the Greek word "genos", meaning "birth" or "origin".
Related Terms
- Steroid: A type of organic compound that Diosgenin belongs to.
- Saponin: A class of chemical compounds, one of many secondary metabolites found in natural sources, with saponins from the Dioscorea genus being a source of Diosgenin.
- Dioscorea: A genus of over 600 species of flowering plants in the family Dioscoreaceae, named after ancient Greek physician and botanist Dioscorides.
- Hormone: A signaling molecule produced by glands in multicellular organisms that target distant organs to regulate physiology and behaviour. Diosgenin is used in the commercial synthesis of various hormones.
- Progesterone: A type of hormone that Diosgenin is used to synthesize.
- Cortisone: Another type of hormone that Diosgenin is used to synthesize.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Diosgenin
- Wikipedia's article - Diosgenin
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