Diosgenin: benefits, dosage, contraindications

Anticancer

Diosgenin, extracted from plants such as fenugreek and Dioscorea, has demonstrated efficacy against various cancers by inhibiting tumor growth and promoting apoptosis of cancer cells in preclinical studies. It acts through multiple mechanisms: inhibiting the proliferation and growth of tumor cells, promoting apoptosis, inducing differentiation and autophagy, inhibiting metastasis and tumor cell invasion, blocking the cell cycle, modulating immunity, and improving the gut microbiome. Clinical research suggests that diosgenin may be safe and beneficial in the clinic, although further trials are needed to confirm its therapeutic potential. Innovations such as nanocarriers 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 shown that diosgenin helps improve memory deficits and object recognition, offering a promising insight for the treatment of neurological disorders. nnInitial clinical studies suggest that a wild yam extract rich in diosgenin may slightly improve 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. nnTohda and colleagues found that diosgenin significantly improved memory loss and induced increased activity in key brain regions, such as the medial prefrontal cortex and the CA1 region of the hippocampus in mice. Furthermore, diosgenin treatment resulted in a significant reduction in the accumulation of beta-amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, hallmarks 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 that of estrogen. This hypothesis was supported by the work of Aradhana and colleagues in 1992, who demonstrated the impact of diosgenin in an ovariectomized animal model. Their study reveals that administration of diosgenin, at doses of 20 or 40 mg/kg for a period of 15 days, significantly stimulates the growth of the mammary epithelium. Moreover, the combination of diosgenin and estrogens shows a notable synergistic effect. In the context of postmenopausal osteoporosis in the ovariectomized rat, diosgenin has also been shown to be effective in countering bone loss related to estrogen deficiency. However, more recent research nuances these observations, notably a study on immature rats indicating that diosgenin does not behave as an estrogen agonist, highlighting the complexity of its estrogenic action and the need for further research to elucidate its precise mechanism of action.

Cardiovascular

Preclinical studies, both in vivo and in vitro, have revealed that diosgenin may play a crucial role in combating atherosclerosis. It acts by improving endothelial dysfunction, optimizing the lipid profile, and reducing macrophage differentiation and the viability of vascular smooth muscle cells. Its anticoagulant, antithrombotic, and anti-inflammatory properties also contribute to its cardiovascular potential. Furthermore, diosgenin has demonstrated a notable ability to regulate hyperlipidemia. Its cholesterol-lowering action appears to result mainly from reduced cholesterol absorption, through modulation of NPC1L1 expression — a protein essential for cholesterol transport — depending on the dose and duration of administration. Thus, diosgenin emerges as a promising candidate for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. However, clinical trial data on its efficacy for 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 by modulating T-cell immune responses. It effectively reduces allergic reactions by decreasing IgE production and controlling mast cell activity, notably in mouse models. This action is accompanied by inhibition of inflammatory cytokines, underscoring 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 associated with atherosclerosis, an inflammatory disease of the blood vessels. It may therefore offer protection in contexts of chronic inflammation, such as cardiovascular diseases and osteoarthritis, by inhibiting key signaling pathways related to inflammation.