Rich types of saponins and wide range of applications, the industry has a bright future

Saponin, also known as saponin, saponin, alkali soap, etc., is a natural sugar compound. Under normal conditions, it appears as a white to light yellow-brown powder, or a tea-brown to brown-black paste. Saponins are bitter and pungent and irritating to mucous membranes. Saponins are mainly distributed in higher terrestrial plants, and many Chinese herbal medicines such as ginseng, polygala root, platycodon, licorice, anemarrhena, bupleurum and other active ingredients contain saponins. In recent years, with the development of technology and in-depth research in various fields, the application fields of saponins have gradually expanded, market demand has continued to grow, and the industry has broad prospects for development.

There are many types of saponins and various classification methods. According to the different plants from which they are extracted, saponins can be divided into soybean saponins, ginseng saponins, diosgen saponins, oat saponins, etc.; according to the number of sugar chains in the saponin molecules, saponins can be divided into monosaccharide chain saponins, bisaccharide chain saponins. Sugar chain saponins and trisaccharide chain saponins, etc.; according to the known molecular structure of sapogenins, saponins can be divided into two categories: steroidal saponins and triterpene saponins. Steroidal saponins and triterpene saponins can be distinguished by chemical reactions such as acetic anhydride-concentrated sulfuric acid reaction, trichloroacetic acid reaction, perchloric acid reaction, and antimony pentachloride reaction.

Saponin production processes mainly include segmented precipitation, cholesterol precipitation, chromatographic separation, etc. Saponin producers mostly choose different production processes based on the different raw materials extracted.

According to the “2023-2028 China Saponin Industry Market In-depth Research and Development Prospect Forecast Report released by the Industrial Research Center, saponins mainly It is composed of sugar chains composed of sapogenins and various sugars. Common sugars in saponins include D-glucose, L-rhamnose, D-galactose, etc. The sapogenins in saponins have varying degrees of lipophilicity, and the sugar chains have strong hydrophilicity. These two properties make saponin an excellent surfactant. Due to its strong foaming ability, saponin is widely used in the manufacture of daily chemical products such as emulsifiers, detergents and foaming agents.

Saponins have antibacterial, antipyretic, sedative and anti-cancer effects. They have extremely high medicinal value and are widely used in clinical treatment and biomedicine. At the same time, saponins also have strong antioxidant properties, which can scavenge free radicals in the human body, delay aging, and maintain skin. Therefore, they are favored by the cosmetics field. Many well-known cosmetics such as Xinxin Bio-Rare Ginseng Saponin Essence and Korean Tongrenmi Red Ginseng Facial creams, Guerlain Imperial Eye Cream, etc. all contain saponins. However, saponins are irritating to a certain extent. When using saponin products, you should try to avoid the saponins coming into contact with sensitive parts of the human body such as the eyes, respiratory tract, and skin.

Industry analysts said that there are rich types of saponins, a wide range of applications, and strong market demand. In 2022, the market size of only ginsenosides in my country will reach At about 740 million yuan, the saponin industry is expected to have a bright future. At present, saponin companies in my country include Shaanxi Juzi Biotechnology, Yunnan Baiyao Pharmaceutical, Wuhan Aimin Pharmaceutical, etc. There are a large number of companies and fierce competition in subdivisions.