IN VITRO STUDIES ON SAPONIN?VITAMIN COMPLEXATION

The possibility that certain saponins produce growth depression by complexing fat soluble vitamins with a mechanism similar to saponin-cholesterol complexation was studied. An in vitro procedure was developed to quantitate the formation of addition complexes in aqueous solutions. Saponins studied included digitonin, ammoniated glycyrrhizin, quillaja bark saponin, and saponin-containing extracts from alfalfa leaves and roots and soybeans. Vitamins tested included provitamin D3 and vitamins E, A and D3. The study demonstrated that the saponins did not complex fat soluble vitamins in a manner similar to the complexation of cholesterol.