What Does Saponin Mean?
Found in more than 100 various plant families, saponins are a particular class of chemical compounds that normally foam when exposed to aqueous solutions. This chemical compound is commonly used to protect the plant against different types of fungi and microbes. Because of their bitter taste, however, saponins may lower the palatability of the plant in some cases.
While commercial saponins are primarily extruded from the Quillaja saponaria and the Yucca schidigera, it is also possible to extract saponins from soapberry, soapbark, soaproot, soapwort, soybeans, and peas.