Most Effective Natural Saponins

Many plants contain saponins, a naturally occurring detergent. Saponins have many different uses. They are not only useful for cleaning, but taken internally offer health benefits by lowering cholesterol, acting as general tonics and heart medication, according to Dr. Peter Cheeke of Oregon State University. Saponins also have extensive uses in the cosmetic and beer industries.

Medical Uses

People have used saponins for hundreds of years externally as natural cleaners and internally as medicine.

Legumes such as peas and soybeans are the most common food sources of saponins. These foods act in the digestive system by binding with bile acids and cholesterol, helping to lower cholesterol. According to Dr. Peter Cheeke at Oregon State University, some researchers believe that one reason the Masai people of eastern Africa have such low cholesterol levels while eating a diet high in fat is due to their eating many herbs containing saponins.

Digitalis from foxglove is a saponin and a potent heart medication. Digitalis is a strong medication. So strong, in fact, that arrow poisons have been made with digitalis. Digitalis works to make heart contractions stronger. This can be lifesaving for people with heart disease, but fatal if used improperly.

According to Dr. Peter Cheeke, medical researchers are studying the use of saponins for the immune system and to boost the effectiveness of vaccines and they are using saponins from yucca and quillaja plants for this application. Another interesting area of research is the use of saponins to reduce the odor of animal feces. The saponins bind with ammonia in the intestines and help with odor reduction.

Industrial Uses

Perhaps the saponin-rich plants with the most industrial uses are the desert plants yucca and quillaja. Yucca grows in southern California and Baja California in Mexico. You can find quillaja in Chile. These two plants produce the saponins used most often in the beverage, cosmetic and mining industries and people have used them for housecleaning as well.

People use saponins in industrial contexts, to produce the foamy head on root beer. Cosmetics companies also use saponins in their formulas as surfactants and emollients. The surfactant properties also make them useful in mining and photographic film production.

Household Cleaning

For household cleaning, another saponin-rich plant called "soap nut" is highly useful. In India, people use soap nut for many cleaning purposes, by simply boiling the plant and using the lather.

Many saponins have names that give away their use as soaps. Soapwort and soap lily are two of these plants. Horse chestnut is another saponin-rich plant which you can use for cleaning. The seeds are the part richest in saponins and, mixed with a little water, will lather well.