本研究對台灣產34種山藥樣品,以TLC及HPLC探討其皂素和皂素苷,其皂素以TLC數據與文獻報告之TLC Rf值比較之,而其皂素苷系利用TLC與標準樣品直接比較之。由HPLC分析結果,發現三十四種台灣產山藥樣品中,有十七種含有diosgenin存在,其中diosgenin含量以樣品No.32之菊山藥(D. compsita)五年生為18.27%最高,而樣品No.33之多花山藥(D. Floribunda)為9.72%次之,並顯示相同品種,由於產地與種植時間不同,其diosgenin含量呈現差異。
The saponins and the sapogenine in the tubers of thirty- four species of Dioscorea in Taiwan were examined by using the TLC method and t he HPLC method. The saponins in each species were compared with the HPLC data of the literature. The sapogenins in each species were also compared with the TLC data of authentic samples. The diosgenin contents of those thirty-four species were determined by using the HPLC method on a μ-Bondapark C_(18) column with an eluent of acetonitrile/methanol/chloroform (83/10/7). Its regression equation was Y= 2.678 X-0.724 with coefficient of correlation γ=0.9996, where Y=the peak height in cm and X= the concentration of diosgenin in mg/ml. Only seventeen species were found to contain diosgenin. The highest of the diosgenin content was 18.27% of s ample No.32. However, the diosgenin contents of the same species were varied on the different districts.