Saponin

Saponins are a large, structurally diverse group of amphipathic glycosides abundant in many plant species. They are composed of a hydrophobic aglycone ("sapogenin"—which can be a steroid or triterpene) glycosidically linked to one or more hydrophilic sugar chains. Saponins have notable surface-active properties (foaming in water), and as plant secondary metabolites, they play a role in plant defense. The class is subdivided according to aglycone structure (steroidal or triterpenoid) and carbohydrate chain number. Biological effects of saponins include cytotoxicity, immune modulation, cholesterol-lowering, and serving as adjuvants in vaccines. Saponins themselves are not a drug target and should not be confused with specific molecular targets, such as receptors or enzymes[1][2][3][4][5][7]. Summary: "Saponin" refers to a diverse natural product class, not a canonical molecular target. No specific receptor, enzyme, transporter, or gene is known as "Saponin." For therapeutic targeting, one should specify a particular saponin or its biological target (e.g., cholesterol, immune cells) rather than the general class.

Other names

SaponinsSteroid saponinsTriterpenoid saponinsGlycosidic saponins

Disruption of cholesterol-rich cell membranes (resulting in increased membrane permeability); Formation of complexes with cholesterol; Modulation of immune activity (when used as an adjuvant); Inhibition of lipase (relevant to fat absorption)