Metabolism of Tomato Steroidal Glycosides in Humans

• Published in: Chemical & Pharmaceutical Bulletin Vol. 54; no. 9; pp. 1312 - 1314
• Main Authors: Fujiwara, Yukio, Noguchi, Eishin, Nohara, Toshihiro, Ikeda, Tsuyoshi, Matsushita, Sayaka, Ono, Masateru
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japan The Pharmaceutical Society of Japan 2006; Pharmaceutical Society of Japan; Japan Science and Technology Agency
• Subjects: Adult; Glycosides - chemistry; Glycosides - isolation & purification; Glycosides - metabolism; Humans; Lycopersicon esculentum - chemistry; Lycopersicon esculentum - metabolism; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy - methods; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy - standards; Male; Molecular Conformation; pregnane; Reference Standards; Stereoisomerism; steroidal glycoside metabolism; Steroids - chemistry; Steroids - isolation & purification; Steroids - metabolism; tomato steroidal glycoside; Urine - chemistry
• ISSN: 0009-2363; 1347-5223
• DOI: 10.1248/cpb.54.1312

Pregnane glycosides have been isolated in small amounts, along with the major components furostanol and spirostanol glycosides, from Dioscoreaceae, Taccaceae, and Solanaceae, suggesting that pregnane glycosides might be biosynthesized from furostanol and spirostanol glycosides. Recently, commercial natural foods composed of diosgenin have been used for the treatment of diseases such as osteoporosis and premenstrual syndrome in women. It is anticipated that diosgenin would be metabolized into a type of steroidal hormone, for instance progesterone, however, this metabolism has not been confirmed. Therefore, we have examined the metabolites in the urine of subjects who ingested tomatoes, which contain a considerable amount of the steroidal glycoside esculeoside A. The occurrence of steroidal hormones in the metabolites has been recognized. It has been proven that when a steroidal glycoside is administered, it is partly metabolized into a type of steroidal hormone exhibiting various physiological activities.