Adjuvanticity and ISCOM formation by structurally diverse saponins

Structure and biological activity of protopanaxatriol-type saponins from the roots of Panax notoginseng

“…QS-21 as a representative of the saponins with strong adjuvant activity had a high HLB value (HLB: 36.3). Several saponins reported to be strong adjuvants were also calculated to have higher HLB values, for instance, Gypsophila saponin (HLB: 39.4) [60], saponaside A (HLB: 20.3) from Saponaria [60], lablaboside F (HLB: 25.5) [61,62], and onjisaponins from Polygala tenuifolia (HLB: 24.1, as onjisaponin A) [63]. Thus, the previous results support a relationship between adjuvant activity and HLB value for pentacyclic triterpenoid saponins, but are all not consistent with our findings about a correlation between immunological activity and chemical structure of PTS.…”

Adjuvant effects of saponins on animal immune responses

“…It was believed that the adjuvant activity of saponins could be related to branched sugar chains or aldehyde groups (Bomford et al, 1992) or to an acyl residue bearing the aglycone (Kensil, 1996). Latter, soyasaponins and lablabosides were found to show strong adjuvant activity despite lacking acyl residues and possessing only un-branched sugar chains (Oda et al, 2000).…”

Saponins as immunoadjuvants and immunostimulants

“…Adjuvant activity has also been observed with saponins from Gypsophila and Saponaria (Caryophyllaceae) whereas it was absent with other saponin containing extracts prepared from Soya, Alfalfa, Chenopodium quinoa and Glycyrrhiza radix [15]. Since the strongest adjuvant activity was observed with saponins from Quillaja saponaria, we will describe the activities associated with saponins from this species.…”