 It is present in detectable amounts in "Costus speciosus", "Smilax menispermoidea", species of "Paris", "Aletris", "Trigonella", and "Trillium", and in extractable amounts many species of "Dioscorea – D. althaeoides, colletti, composita, floribunda, futschauensis, gracillima, hispida, hypoglauca, mexicana, nipponica, panthaica, parviflora, septemloba","Helicteres isora" and "zingiberensis".Diosgenin is a precursor for several hormones, starting with the Marker degradation process, which includes synthesis of progesterone.The process was used in the early manufacturing of combined oral contraceptive pills.