Processing methods and mechanisms for saponin-rich traditional Chinese medicines: a review

As an important class of bioactive components in TCM, saponins exhibit various significant pharmacological effects. Therefore, investigating the impacts of processing on the chemical components and action mechanisms of saponin-rich TCMs is of great importance. This review aims to summarize the effects of different processing methods on saponin components in TCMs and the chemical transformations of saponins during processing, while also prospecting future research directions. A bibliographic investigation was performed by examining the available data on saponin-rich TCMs from globally accepted scientific databases and search engines (Pubmed, Scopus and Web of Science, SciFinder and Google Scholar). Different processing methods cause distinct saponin changes, significantly affecting their physicochemical properties and pharmacological effects. Understanding these effects and transformations is crucial for developing targeted saponin preparations, aiding clinical use of such TCMs and mechanism research.