Progress in Studies of Diosgenin

Diosgenin is an important intermediate in the pharmaceutical industry,widely used in the steroid drugs production,such as cortisone and sexual hormones.Due to the distribution of the Dioscorea plants,about 60% of the total output all over the world is provided by China.3000 tons of diosgenin are produced each year in China,and 2/3 is exported.In this review,researches concerning diosgenin are summarized,including the biosynthesis in Dioscorea plants,the extraction methods in laboratory and in factories,the determining and identification methods,and the pharmaco-toxicological effects etc.We aim at providing the general information for better exploiting and utilizing diosgenin.62 references are cited.