Isolation of Diosgenin

Alcoholic extraction method

The diosgenin tubers are cut into small pieces and dried under sun. The dried tubers are powdered,
extracted with ethanol or methanol twice for 6–8 hours. It is filtered and the filtrate is concentrated
to a syrupy liquid. The concentrated liquid is then hydrolysed using an acid, hydrochloric acid or
sulphuric acid for 2–12 h. About 85% of the crude diosgenin is precipitated. The precipitates are
filtered, washed with water and purified with alcohol.
Acid hydrolysis method
The dried tubers are powdered to a mesh size of 100–200 meshes. It is then refluxed or heated in
autoclave with 2–4 N mineral acid for 2–6 h. It is filtered and the crude hydrolyte is washed with
water, until neutral. Dried and extracted again for 6 h with hydrocarbon solvent. The liquid is
concentrated to about 25 ml. It is allowed to stand for some time in a refrigerator for 1 h. The
crystals of diosgenin are filtered out and then it’s washed with acetone.
Fermentation cum acid hydrolysis method
The fresh green roots are collected and smashed in a hammer mill. The mesh is placed in the
fermentation bin and allowed for fermentation for two days. The fermented mesh is dried in sun to
reduce the moisture content to 7–8%. It is then subjected to hydrolysis with a mineral acid at
reduced temperature. The resulting solution is extracted with heptane to obtain diosgenin.
Incubation cum acid hydrolysis method
The fresh plant material is incubated in water at 37°C for few days. It is later subjected to acid
hydrolysis. The hydrolysed liquid is concentrated and extracted with hydrocarbon solvent to obtain
diosgenin.
The fresh roots are homogenized with equal weight of water, concentrated acid is added until the
required strengthis obtained and then it is extracted with hydrocarbon solvent to obtain diosgenin.
Melting point: 204–207°C
Thin Layer Chromatography of Diosgenin
The sample dissolved in methanol is spotted in Silica gel plates and developed in Toluene: ethyl
acetate (7:3). Dark green spot (R f - 0.37) of diosgenin will appear when the dried plate is sprayed
with anisaldehyde-sulphuric acid reagent.