中国薯蓣属(Dioscorea L.)植物含有约21种甾体皂苷元,其中大部分种类含有3β-羟基皂苷元,少数种类含有3α-羟基皂苷元。从薯蓣属13种植物中共分离出59个甾体皂苷成分,按化学结构可将这些甾体皂苷分为4种类型。约有17种薯蓣属植物含有甾体皂苷元(主要为薯蓣皂苷元),均为根茎组(Sect.Stenophora)种类。在查阅大量资料的基础上,对各种类所含的甾体皂苷元和甾体皂苷成分及各成分的化学结构进行了归纳和综述。

There are twenty-one compounds of steroidal sapogenins in Chinese Dioscorea L.,the type of 3β-hydroxysapogenin exists in most species, only a few species contain the type of 3α-hydroxy sapogenin. Fifty-nine compounds of steroidal saponin areseparated from thirteen species of Chinese Dioscorea,and which can be dividedint of our types. Seventeen species belonging to Sect. Stenophora of Dioscorea contain steroidal sapogenin (mostly diosgenin). Based on consulting the literatures, constituents of steroidal sapogenins and steroidal saponins in different species of Dioscorea and chemical structures of these compounds are summarized and reviewed.