Screening seed of Trigonella and three related genera for diosgenin

Seed of 45 species of Leguminosae were analyzed for diosgenin by GLC. Since the method did not separate yamogenin and tigogenin from diosgenin, results indicate maximum limits rather than the actual amounts of diosgenin present. Among 27 species of Trigonella tested, only 6 have as much as 0·27% diosgenin; the highest was 0·8% in 1 sample of T. foenum-graecum. Among 7 species of Medicago, 6 species of Melilotus and 5 species of Trifolium, none contained more than 0·1% diosgenin.