Jamaican bitter yam sapogenin: potential mechanisms of action in diabetes

Sapogenin has been proposed to be the active component responsible for the beneficial effects of Jamaican bitter yam (Dioscorea polygonoides) in the management of diabetes. Most of the research activities on bitter yam have focused on the role sapogenin play in the management of diabetes. Changes in weight, activities of carbohydrate digestive and transport enzymes, alterations in the intestinal morphology, changes in blood lipids, reduction in lipid peroxidation and the prevention of liver damage associated with diabetes have all been attributed to bitter yam sapogenin supplementation. Also, the possible exploitation of bitter yam for nutraceutical/pharmaceutical purposes is based on the high saponin content. There are however, concerns about the beneficial claims of the findings especially with regard to the possible adverse effects that may accrue in the clinical applications. This review therefore provides an overview of the findings in this research area with a view to proposing the potential mechanisms whereby the supplement of bitter yam sapogenin extract exert its hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic properties and the probable adverse effects in diabetes mellitus.