title: Hederagenin
text: # Hederagenin
  
  Hederagenin is a triterpenoid which is a chemical constituent of the Hedera helix plant.
  
  Hederagenin is the aglycone part of numerous saponins found in Hedera helix (common ivy), the most prevalent of these being hederacoside C and alpha-hederin. It is also one of three primary triterpenoids extracted from the Chenopodium quinoa plant categorized by the EPA as a biopesticide. HeadsUp Plant Protectant is made up of approximately equal ratios of the saponin aglycones oleanolic acid, hederagenin, and phytolaccagenic acid and is intended for use as a seed treatment on tuber (e.g. potato seed pieces), legume, and cereal seeds or as a pre-plant root dip for roots of transplants, at planting, to prevent fungal growth, bacterial growth, and viral plant diseases.
  
  Hederagenin has been found to have antidepressant-like effects in a rodent models.
  
  ## History
  
  Hederagenin was discovered by L. Posselt in 1849 and named hederic acid. However, Posselt was not able to isolate a pure substance or obtain an exact formula: his hederic acid was hederagenin mixed with some tannin impurity.
  
  ## Related triterpenes
  
  All of these compounds share the same pentacyclic framework:
  
  * Betulinic acid
  * Boswellic acid
  * Glycyrrhetinic acid
  * Moronic acid
  * Oleanolic acid
  * Ursolic acid
  * Corosolic acid
  * Amyrin
  * Lupeol
  * Maslinic acid
  * Hopane
  