SAPONINS

Saponins are natural substances that exhibit a series of common properties. Their strong foaming capability in aqueous solutions is characteristic and has given them their name ( latin sapo = soap ). Typical properties are haemolytic activity, fish toxicity, complexation with cholesterol and a antibiotic activity, particular with regard to simle fungi.

Saponins do not all have the same type of chemical structure. Although all saponins are glycosides.