Diosgenin: Benefits, Dosage, Contraindications

Anticancer

Diosgenin, extracted from plants such as fenugreek and Dioscorea, has proven effective against various cancers by inhibiting tumor growth and promoting apoptosis of cancer cells in preclinical studies. It works in several ways: by inhibiting proliferation and growth of tumor cells, promoting apoptosis, inducing differentiation and autophagy, inhibiting metastasis and invasion of tumor cells, blocking the cell cycle, regulating immunity, and enhancing the intestinal microbiome. Clinical research suggests that diosgenin could be safe and beneficial in clinical settings, but more exhaustive trials are needed to confirm its therapeutic potential. Innovations such as nano-carriers and drug combinations are being explored to maximize its benefits, promising to make diosgenin a key component of future anticancer treatments.

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Neurological

Animal research has revealed that diosgenin helps improve memory deficits and object recognition, offering promising insights for the treatment of neurological disorders. Initial clinical studies suggest that a wild yam extract, rich in diosgenin, might slightly enhance cognitive function in healthy adults. This steroidal sapogenin shows notable therapeutic potential against various nervous system pathologies, including Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease. Tohda and collaborators discovered that diosgenin significantly improved memory loss and induced increased activity in key brain regions, such as the medial prefrontal cortex and the hippocampal CA1 region in mice. Furthermore, diosgenin treatment led to a significant reduction in the accumulation of beta-amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, characteristic of Alzheimer's disease, in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus.

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Estrogenic Action

The estrogenic action of diosgenin is suggested by its molecular structure, which shares similarities with estrogen. This hypothesis was supported by the work of Aradhana and collaborators in 1992, who demonstrated the impact of diosgenin on an ovariectomized animal model. Their study reveals that the administration of diosgenin at doses of 20 or 40 mg/kg over a period of 15 days significantly stimulates the growth of mammary epithelium. Additionally, the combination of diosgenin and estrogens shows a notable synergistic effect. In the context of postmenopausal osteoporosis in the ovariectomized rat model, diosgenin has also been proven effective in countering estrogen deficiency-related bone loss. However, more recent research nuances these observations, including a study on immature rats indicating that diosgenin does not behave as an estrogen agonist, highlighting the complexity of its estrogenic action and the necessity for further research to elucidate its precise mechanism of action.

Cardiovascular

Preclinical research, both in vivo and in vitro, has revealed that diosgenin could play a crucial role in combating atherosclerosis. It acts by improving endothelial dysfunction, optimizing lipid profile, and reducing macrophage differentiation and vascular smooth muscle cell viability. Its anticoagulant, antithrombotic, and anti-inflammatory properties also contribute to its cardiovascular potential. Furthermore, diosgenin has demonstrated notable ability to regulate hyperlipidemia. Its hypocholesterolemic action appears primarily to result from decreased cholesterol absorption, through modulation of NPC1L1 expression, a protein essential for cholesterol transport, depending on the dose and duration of administration. Thus, diosgenin presents as a promising candidate for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. However, data from clinical trials regarding its efficacy on cardiovascular diseases in humans remain limited.

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Anti-inflammatory

Diosgenin, derived from fenugreek, plays a key role in combating inflammation and allergies, thanks to its ability to modulate the immune response of T cells. It effectively reduces allergic reactions by decreasing IgE production and controlling mast cell activity, notably in mouse models. This action is accompanied by the inhibition of inflammatory cytokines, highlighting its therapeutic potential against various inflammatory disorders. Research has also shown that diosgenin attenuates lung changes induced by inflammatory agents and reduces the adhesive capacity of cells related to atherosclerosis, an inflammatory vascular disease. It could therefore offer protection in contexts of chronic inflammation, such as cardiovascular diseases and osteoarthritis, by inhibiting key signaling pathways related to inflammation.