Phytosteroid

Abstract: The genus Dioscorea, family Dioscoreaceae, has 633 species, all popularly known as yam, of which approximately 137 contain the diosgenin compound. Diosgenin, a phytosteroid sapogenin, is used as a raw material for the synthesis of steroid hormones that make up several types of drugs, such as adrenal cortical hormone, sex hormone, birth control pills, anabolic hormones, among others. Diosgenin also presents pharmacological activities such as anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and hypoglycemic, which allows its utilization to treat several diseases such as osteoporosis, diabetes, and obesity. Currently, the amount of diosgenin extracted from yam species have decreased due to extensive harvesting and consequently decline of Dioscorea spp. populations, as well as the lack of adequate technologies capable of extracting this compost on a large scale. Thus, it is necessary to identify species and/or accessions of Dioscorea with a higher diosgenin content to attend the demand for diosgenin extraction. However, a uniform procedure for the preparation of samples and analysis of diosgenin is highly desirable. In this review, we are providing information about the origin, domestication, geographic distribution, cultivation, utilization, and medicinal properties of diosgenin-contained Dioscorea species.