Diosgenin modulates vascular smooth muscle cell function by regulating cell viability, migration, and calcium homeostasis.

In this study, we compared the potencies of diosgenin, a plant-derived sapogenin structurally similar to estrogen and progesterone, on vascular smooth muscle functions ranging from contraction and migration to apoptosis. The effects of diosgenin on vascular smooth muscle cell viability and migration were measured using a primary mouse aortic smooth muscle cell culture. The effects of diosgenin on smooth muscle cell contraction and calcium signaling were investigated in the isolated mouse aorta using wire myography and confocal microscopy, respectively.