Perspectives on Saponins: Food Functionality and Applications

Abstract

Saponins are a diverse group of naturally occurring plant secondary metabolites present in a wide range of foods ranging from grains, pulses, and green leaves to sea creatures. They consist of a hydrophilic sugar moiety linked to a lipophilic aglycone, resulting in an amphiphilic nature and unique functional properties. Their amphiphilic structures enable saponins to exhibit surface-active properties, resulting in stable foams and complexes with various molecules. In the context of food applications, saponins are utilized as natural emulsifiers, foaming agents, and stabilizers. They contribute to texture and stability in food products and have potential health benefits, including cholesterol-lowering and anticancer effects. Saponins possess additional bioactivities that make them valuable in the pharmaceutical industry as anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antiviral, and antiparasitic agents to name a few. Saponins can demonstrate cytotoxic activity against cancer cell lines and can also act as adjuvants, enhancing the immune response to vaccines. Their ability to form stable complexes with drugs further expands their potential in drug delivery systems. However, challenges such as bitterness, cytotoxicity, and instability under certain conditions need to be addressed for effective utilization of saponins in foods and related applications. In this paper, we have reviewed the chemistry, functionality, and application aspects of saponins from various plant sources, and have summarized the regulatory aspects of the food-based application of quillaja saponins. Further research to explore the full potential of saponins in improving food quality and human health has been suggested. It is expected that this article will be a useful resource for researchers in food, feed, pharmaceuticals, and material science.

Phytochemical Profile and Antioxidant Potential of Tobacco Flower Extract in Different Solvents

“…The main group of phenolic compounds are phenolic acids, flavonoids, stilbenes, lignins, and condensed tannins [25]. Other compounds such as alkaloids [24], saponins [26], triterpenoids [27], steroids [28], anthraquinones [29] also known to exhibit antioxidant activity.…”

Phytochemical Profiling and Antioxidant Capacity of Traditional Plants, Northern Thailand

“…Overall, the highest antioxidant activity in this plant extract is due to quillaic acid, a naturally occurring chemical component included in saponins, which is what gives this plant extract its antioxidant effect [41]. This group can be found in Emilia sonchifolia, Chloranthus erectus, and Caesalpinia mimosoides.…”

Critical review on anti‐inflammation effects of saponins and their molecular mechanisms

“…The term "saponin" is derived from the Latin word "sapo," which means soap, and this nomenclature is reflective of their unique amphiphilic nature (Juang & Liang, 2020). Saponins consist of both hydrophilic and hydrophobic components, which give them the ability to form stable foams when agitated in aqueous solutions, much like the foaming properties of soap (Timilsena et al, 2023). From a structural perspective, saponins constitute a diverse group of compounds exhibiting extensive functional variety.…”

“…Saponins are classified as glycosides, which means they consist of a sugar (glycone) portion and a non-sugar (aglycone) portion. It is the aglycone portion that largely determines the biological activity and properties of a specific saponin (Timilsena et al, 2023). Figure 1 illustrates the chemical structure of a soyasaponin I.…”