Antimony Trichloride as A Test Reagent for Steroids, Especially Diosgenin and Yamogenin, in Plant Tissues

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Abstract
A saturated solution of SbCl3 in 60% HClO4 was used to detect steroids in plant tissue, using (a) cut sections of fresh material (b) dried and powdered material and (c) dried aqueous ethanolic extracts of microquantities of tissues. The utility of this reagent as a microchemical test for diosgenin and yamogenin has been established by application to 55 plant specimens from 35 species in 12 families, including plant parts which hold steroidal sapogenin (spirostans) as well as those that do not. The presence or absence of spirostans in the plant parts was confirmed by infrared analysis after processing the material on a macro scale. Colours obtained with the reagent and pure sapogenins, some of their common derivatives and their glycosides are given for reference.