薯蓣皂素是合成甾体激素药物和避孕药的重要原料之一,它主要存在于薯蓣属植物中。我国著蓣植物有80多种,其中根状茎有10多种,用于生产的主要有盾叶、穿龙薯蓣等4～5种,尚有较丰富的野生资源,如叉蕊、小花盾叶等几种有待开发利用。由于资源复杂,所含的薯蓣皂素及其它皂甙元的含量和种类不一,给 Diosgenin is one of the important raw materials for the synthesis of steroid hormone drugs and contraceptives. It is mainly found in Dioscorea. There are more than 80 kinds of planting plants in China, of which there are more than 10 kinds of rhizomes. There are 4 to 5 species of shield leaf and yam and so on, which are used for production. There are still abundant wild resources such as fork core and small flower shield. There are several kinds of leaves to be developed and utilized. Due to the complexity of resources, the contents and types of diosgenin and other saponins contained are different.