diosgenin

American  

[dahy-oz-jen-in, dahy-oz-juh-nin] / ˌdaɪ ɒzˈdʒɛn ɪn, daɪˈɒz dʒə nɪn /

noun

Biochemistry.

1. a crystalline compound, C 27 H 42 O 3 , the aglycone of dioscin: used in the synthesis of steroidal hormones, as of progesterone.

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Etymology

Origin of diosgenin

< German Diosgenin (1936), equivalent to New Latin Dios ( corea ) the yam genus from which it was first extracted, irregular after Dioscorides 1st-century a.d. Greek physician + German -genin; -gen, -in ²

Example Sentences

Last week Syntex announced that a group of its chemists headed by Dr. George Rosenkranz had at last accomplished the feat, starting with diosgenin from cabeza de negro.

From Time Magazine Archive

Both Syntex and Searle now obtain their diosgenin from Mexican yams, which grow wild in the jungles.

From Time Magazine Archive

The pill's hormones are derived mostly from a chemical called diosgenin, which until 1945 was obtainable only in small quantities from tropical plants.

From Time Magazine Archive

Then Dr. George Rosenkranz, at that time a Syntex research chemist, found that the Mexican yam, or barbasco root, yielded much larger amounts of diosgenin.

From Time Magazine Archive