Diosgenin

Diosgenin is a steroid sapogenin which is isolated from the wild yam. The unmodified steroid has estrogenic activity and can reduce the level of serum cholesterol. It is present in Costus speciosus, Smilax menispermoidea, species of Paris, Trigonella, and Trillium, and many species of Dioscorea - D. althaeoides, colletti, futschauensis, gracillima, hispida, hypoglauca, nipponica, panthaica, parviflora, septemloba, and zingiberensis.  Can be converted to synthetic pregnenolone and progesterone.

chemical name: Spirost-5-en-3-ol, (3beta,25R)-

Clinical Uses

 * The progesterone component of early combined oral contraceptive pills.