The simple phenolic compounds vary on the basis of the presence of their
functional groups, such as hydroxyl (–OH), aldehyde (–CHO), or carboxylic
(–COOH) group; these are a phenolic aldehyde, e.g., vanillin, phenolic acids, e.g.,
salicylic acid, ferulic acid, and caffeic acid and a phenolic phenylpropane, e.g.,
eugenol. Hydroquinone (4-hydroxy phenol) is abundantly found as simple phenols,
Table 10.2 The uses and active constituents of saponin obtained from plants
Sl.
No
Drug and
synonym
Active constituents
Uses
1
Dioscorea
(Yam)
Diosgenin, precursor of
prostaglandin
Tonic, anti- rheumatoid arthritis, for
synthesis of oral contraceptives, cortisone,
prednisone, progesterone
2
Shatavari
(satamuli)
Shataverin I and
Shataverin II
Galatogogue (increase production of milk),
diuretic, tonic, anti-oxytocic, antirheumatoid
3
Brahmi
Bacoside A and
Bacoside B
Nerve tonic (increase memory)
4
Liquorice
Glycyrrhizin,
Carbenoxolone,
Liquiritin, isoliquiritin
Treatment of peptic ulcer, expectorant and
demulcent, antispasmodic, addison’s
disease
5
Safed
musali
Hicogenin
General tonic, sex stimulant
6
Ginseng
Panaxadiol, panaxatriol
ginsenoside, oleanolic
acid
Tonic, sex stimulant, and adaptogen,
cosmetics, immunomodulatory
7
Gokhru
Gitogenin, ruscogenin,
chlorogenin
Aphrodisiac, treatment of gout, calculous
formation and painful micturation, diuretic
8
Momordica
Charantin, momordicin
Hypoglycaemic agent
Squalene (C 30 )
Cholesterol (C 27 )
Pentacyclic triterpenoid
Diosgenin
Tigogenin
Yamogenin
Sarsasapogenin
Acetic acid
Mevalonic acid (C 6 )
Fig. 10.10 The Schematic diagram of the biosynthesis of different sapogenins (Kokate et al. 2005,
Mugford et al. 2013)
10 Secondary Metabolites from Plant Sources
343