THE EFFECT OF RIPENING AND AQUEOUS INCUBATION ON THE YIELD OF DIOSGENIN AND YAMOGENIN FROM THE FRUITS OF BALANITES PEDICELLARIS

Abstract

The dried fruits of Balanites pedicellaris Milbr. and Schlecht (Balanitaceae) afforded by acid treatment up to 7 % of a mixture of diosgenin (95 %) and yamogenin (5 %) from the fruit wall and up to 0.6 % of diosgenin from the seed. An increase of 8 to 20 % on these yields was obtained by aqueous incubation before acid hydrolysis. The unripe and partially ripe fruits were also examined; the ripe fruit gave the best yield and the wall is the preferred material for commercial processing.