Steroid sapogenins were identified from Nothoscordum species. Fractionation of the sterol mixture from Nothoscordum gramineum var. philippianum,
Nothoscordum indorum, Nothoscordum montevidense and Tristagma uniflorum (Alliaceae) allowed the identification of Δ0, Δ5 and Δ7 sterols.
The unusually high proportion of cholestan-3β-ol seems to be biogenetically related to the C27 steroidal sapogenins contained in those plants (Brunengo et al., 1987).
The following sapogenins were isolated from Northoscordum gramineum var. philippianum: agigenin, brisbagenin, digalogenin , gitogenin, and tigogenin (Brunengo et al., 1988,1989).
Among the Argentine plants producing changes in the characterstics of milk and its derivatives, Nothoscordum, gives the milk an onion-like taste (Molfino, 1947)