Diosgenin

Diosgenin is a steroidal sapogenin, the aglycone of many steroidal saponins. It is one of the most commonly studied plant-derived steroidal aglycones and is used as a starting material in the industrial synthesis of steroid hormones. Its chemical formula is C27H42O3, and it belongs to the spirostanol family of steroids.

Diosgenin occurs in several plants, most notably in yam species of the genus Dioscorea, where it is extracted from tubers. It is also present in smaller amounts in fenugreek seeds and other related plants.

In plant saponins, diosgenin is the aglycone that can be liberated by hydrolysis of glycosides. Industrially, diosgenin has been used as a feedstock for the semi-synthesis of corticosteroids and reproductive hormones, including pregnenolone, progesterone, and other steroids, via chemical transformations. This historic route contributed to the development of the modern steroid drug industry.

Diosgenin itself is not a prescription drug. It has been investigated for a range of biological activities in vitro and in animals, including anti-inflammatory and anticancer effects, but robust clinical evidence is lacking. The compound has limited oral bioavailability, and safety data in humans are not sufficient to support therapeutic use in general medical practice. In many markets, diosgenin-containing products are marketed as supplements rather than medicines.