Role in Plant Ecology and Impact On Animal Foraging
In plants, saponins may serve as anti-feedants, and to protect the plant against microbes and fungi. Some plant saponins (e.g. from oat and spinach) may enhance nutrient absorption and aid in animal digestion. However, saponins are often bitter to taste, and so can reduce plant palatability (e.g., in livestock feeds), or even imbue them with life-threatening animal toxicity. Data make clear that some saponins are toxic to cold-blooded organisms and insects at particular concentrations. There is a need for further research to define the roles of these natural products in their host organisms, which have been described as "poorly understood" to date.
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