三萜类化合物在自然界中分布很广,菌类、蕨类、单子叶和双子叶植物、动物及海洋生物中均有分布,尤以双子叶植物分布最多。它们以游离形式存在,或与糖结合成苷或酯。三萜皂苷主要来源于豆科、五加科、桔梗科、远志科、伞形科等植物中,许多中药如人参、黄芪、甘草等都含有三萜皂 Triterpenoids are widely distributed in nature, and are distributed in fungi, ferns, monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous plants, animals and marine organisms, with the largest number of dicotyledonous plants. They exist in free form or combine with sugar to form glycosides or esters. Triterpene saponins are mainly derived from leguminosae, Pentaaceae, Campanulaceae, Polygalaceae, Umbelliferae and other plants, many traditional Chinese medicines such as ginseng, Astragalus, licorice, etc. contain triterpene soap