Steroid-saponins from fenugreek seeds: Extraction, purification and surface properties

Two techniques for extraction and purification were excersized in order to obtain a purified saponins extract from several sources (fenugreek, soybean, locust bean and sesame). The results indicate that fenugreek steroid saponins extract has the best surface properties and reduces the surface tension to 33.3 mN/m and the tetradecane-water interfacial tension from 44 mN/m to 7.5 mN/m. The HLB value was evaluated and found to be 18. Three different types of oil (n-tetradecane, soybean oil, tricaprylin) were emulsified with a 6 wt% aqueous solution of saponins to give an average droplet size of 0.7 mu m (yet stable after month). An effective synergism is seen when these emulsions were prepared with sucrose fatty acid esters as co-surfactant. Furthermore, the foaming power was evaluated.