Expectorant Effect of Saponin in Seed of Theaceous Plants

Abstract

The expectorant effect of crude saponins obtained from the seeds of tea (Thea sinensis L.), camellia (Camellia japonica L. var hortensis Makino), and Camellia Sasanqua Thunb. was examined by measuring the amount of increased secretion of tracheal mucus in puppies. It was thereby found that the crude saponin from tea and Sasanqua was stronger than that of Panax japonicum, with higher fish index. The expectorant effect of camellia saponin was about equal to that of the Panax saponin but with far higher fish index. It seems that the hemolytic index and expectorant effect are not parallel between different saponins.