An improved method of densitometric thin layer chromatography as applied to the determination of sapogenin in Dioscorea tubers

Homogeneous enzyme immunoassay of diosgenin and its glycosides

Homogeneous enzyme immunoassay has been used as a tool for the determination of diosgenin and its glycosides in plants. Diosgenin antisera was found to inhibit the activity of diosgenin hemisuccinate-horseradish peroxidase conjugate which was reversed by the addition of free diosgenin or its glycosides. The increase of enzyme activity was proportional to the quantity of the hapten over a certain range of hapten concentration. Thus, a minimum of 2.5 micrograms/ml of diosgenin and 11.5 micrograms/ml of diosgenin glycosides could be determined by this method. The results were comparable with those obtained by high-performance liquid chromatography and gravimetric methods.

Evaluation of chemical analysis for the determination of solasodine in Solanum laciniatum

A detailed study of a method for solasodine analysis has been carried out and the suitability of chemical analysis for solasodine determination in plant material evaluated. A number of problems with the analytical isolation of solasodine and its subsequent colorimetric determination have been highlighted: oven drying of plant material greater than 100 degrees leads to solasodine loss; cell disruption of the dry plant material is required if complete and rapid extraction of solasodine is to take place; hydrolysis of plant extract residues in greater than 1 N acid leads to solasodine loss; the colorimetric procedure is more temperamental than past methods have indicated, especially with regard to the specificity of the reaction and the instability of the complex.