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Home Articles Vol 29,2025 No.5 Detail

Research progress on decolorization methods of saponins

Published on May. 31, 2025Total Views: 190 times Total Downloads: 16 times Download Mobile

Author: LIAO Binbin 1 ZHANG Jianying 2 ZHANG Xinjian 3 WANG Hongyun 3 CAI Qunhu 4 ZUO Aixue 1

Affiliation: 1. Yunnan Key Laboratory of Southem Medicinal Resource, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Yunnan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Kunming 650500, China 2. School of Basic Medical Sciences, Yunnan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Kunming 650500, China 3. Traditional Chinese Medicine College, Baoshan College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Baoshan 678000, Yunnan Province, China 4. Yunnan Sanqi Science and Technology Co., Ltd, Wenshan 663003, Yunnan Province, China

Keywords: Saponins Extraction Decolorization method Oxidative decolorization Reduction decolorization Adsorption decolorization Process decolorization Research progress

DOI: 10.12173/j.issn.2097-4922.202411033

Reference: LIAO Binbin, ZHANG Jianying, ZHANG Xinjian, WANG Hongyun, CAI Qunhu, ZUO Aixue. Research progress on decolorization methods of saponins[J]. Yaoxue QianYan Zazhi, 2025, 29(5): 868-876. DOI: 10.12173/j.issn.2097-4922.202411033.[Article in Chinese]

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Abstract

Saponins, possessing distinct structural features and outstanding biological activities, have attracted significant attention for their significant effects in treating cardiovascular diseases, improving immune function, and anti-tumor effects. Therefore, many drugs with definite therapeutic effects have been developed using saponins as raw materials. Currently, saponins are mostly obtained directly from medicinal plants through extraction. However, this method often accompanies the dissolution of pigments in medicinal materials, resulting in a darker color of saponin extracts, which affects product quality and added value. Therefore, the decolorization of saponin raw materials has become a popular topic in the saponin industry. This article reviews the research progress of saponin decolorization technology through systematic analysis of relevant domestic and foreign literature, and analyzes the principles, characteristics, and applicability of commonly used saponin decolorization methods (such as physical and chemical decolorization). The results showed that the chemical decolorization was mainly used for the decolorization of saponins of water-soluble pigments; physical decolorization can decolorize water-soluble and fat-soluble pigments, and has no destructive effect on the structure of saponins, which is more suitable for the industrial decolorization applications of saponins. This review provides a reference for the development and application of saponins in decolorization.

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References

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