Tiwatt KuljanabhagavadMichael Wink2025-03-102025-03-102009Phytochemistry Reviews1572980X10.1007/s11101-009-9121-02-s2.0-67651152617https://repository.dusit.ac.th//handle/123456789/5048Chenopodium quinoa Willd. is a valuable food source which has gained importance in many countries of the world. The plant contains various bitter-tasting saponins which present an important antinutritional factor. Various triterpene saponins have been reported in C. quinoa including both monodesmosidic and bidesmosidic triterpene saponins of oleanolic acid, hederagenin, phytolaccagenic acid, and serjanic acid as the major aglycones and other aglycones as 3_-hydroxy-23-oxo-olean-12-en-28-oic acid, 3_-hydroxy-27-oxo-olean-12-en-28-oic acid, and 3_, 23_, 30_-trihydroxy-olean-12-en-28-oic acid. A tridesmosidic saponin of hederagenin has also been reported. Here we review the occurrence, analysis, chemical structures, and biological activity of triterpene saponins of C. quinoa. In particular, the mode of action of the mono- and bidesmosidic triterpene saponins and aglycones are discussed. © 2009 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.Biological activityOleanane triterpenePhytolaccagenane triterpeneQuinoaTriterpene saponinsArticleScopus