Home / Herbalist / Dioscorea Caucasian

Dioscorea Caucasian

Useful properties and applications of Dioscorea Caucasian


Botanical characteristics of Dioscorea Caucasian

Caucasian wild Yam – a perennial vine with a length of 2-3 m thick horizontal rhizome. Leaves are 6-15 cm in length are heart-shaped or oval, tapered to the ends, from below densely pubescent. Flowers green, small, unisexual, in racemes or spikes. The fruit is rounded triangular boxes. Seeds of plants with wing-like growth that gives them a good volatility. Dioscorea blooms in may-June, fruits ripen in September.

The plant is endemic grows only in Abkhazia and the Adler district Krasnodar Krai. Listed in the Red book, therefore, measures taken for the cultivation of Yam.


The benefits of Dioscorea

Dioscorea belongs to the medicinal plants used in the treatment of many diseases. The most effective on the human body is exposed to drugs from the roots of vines under 25 years of age. Collection of roots is carried out in the spring and fall until the first frost. Well dried raw material can be stored for three years. Decoctions and tinctures of Dioscorea have immunomodulatory, tonic, sedative, diuretic, choleretic action.

Main active components are steroid glycosides, they are able to bind and remove cholesterol. In the chemical composition of plants also includes starch and fat-like substances.


Use Yam

Wild Yam is very good for disorders of adrenal function, immune system, inflammation of the trigeminal nerve, dystonia, rheumatoid arthritis, atherosclerosis of cerebral vessels and other organs. Chemicals from it improves sleep, memory, heart, liver and kidneys. The plant is successfully used to treat headaches, restore vision in cataract. It relieves fatigue and irritability, removes noise in the ears, improves sleep and mood.

Wild Yam reduces cholesterol in blood and prevents the deposition of lipids in arteries and the liver, dilates peripheral blood vessels and improves coronary blood flow, reduces the frequency of angina attacks and relieves tachycardia. Infusions and extracts of plants to stimulatemotor and secretory activity of the gastrointestinal tract. In patients with diabetes improves overall health and gain some traction in lipid metabolism, normalization of prothrombin index.

The preparations of Dioscorea prolong the life of the irradiated mice, creating a sort of x-ray protective effect. Pretty effective use of such devices in hypertriglyceridemia. Also positive results were obtained with the use of Dioscorea in conjunction with other herbs in the treatment of such severe systemic diseases such as lupus erythematosus, multiple sclerosis, glomerulonephritis, scleroderma, sarcoidosis.


The root of Dioscorea

The rhizomes of Dioscorea Caucasian contains up to 25% of steroidal glycosides (saponins). The most important of which are dioscin, protodioscin, protogracillin. The roots are harvested from late April until the first frost, carefully digging them with a shovel from the ground. Then they are cut into pieces of 30 cm in length, dried at a temperature of 60-70 °C. due To the fact that the Dioscorea is listed in the Red book, used for medical purposes plants grown in artificial conditions.

The roots of the vines are compact, thick, with tuberous thickenings, yellow on the fracture.


Tincture of Dioscorea

Recipe № 1. 100 g of dried crushed roots pour 500 ml of vodka, insist at least 10 days in a cool dark place, shaking occasionally, drain. The dosage is 25-30 drops 3 times daily, approximately 30 minutes after a meal.

Recipe № 2. 7,5 tablespoons dried crushed roots, pour 1.5 liters of vodka and insist in a dark place for 10 days. Tincture to drink with warm tea at the rate of 1 teaspoon 3 times a day after meals. Helps the tool after strokes and heart disease. Treatment consists of three or four courses with a break of 1 month.

Recipe broth 1 teaspoon dried minced root pour a glass of boiling water and heated on a steam bath for 20 minutes. After cooling and straining the broth, you can drink 1 tablespoon 3 times a day after meals for 3-4 weeks. For the treatment pass 3 courses with a break of 7 days. Repeat the treatment every 4-6 months


Tea from Dioscorea

The roots of the plants can be brewed in teas. This mix of 70% green tea and 30% crushed root of Dioscorea. Use in the morning, 1 hour after meals, 1 time a day. This tea normalizes the level of cholesterol in blood, improves memory and sleep disorders. This is a good prevention of hypertension and atherosclerosis. Forprevent bloating you can drink tea brewed from a blend of herbs such as Dioscorea root, ginger, fennel, chamomile, peppermint or Melissa. Use it after meals.


Wild Yam with honey

When atherosclerosis useful to take the powder from the rhizome, eating it with a spoon of honey or drinking honey water. Dosage: 0,2 g of the powder (fits on the tip of a knife) 3 times a day for 10 days 30 minutes after a meal. The treatment is carried out 3-4 months with a week break between courses.

Honey also has many useful properties. It calms the nervous system, good for the heart, improves sleep and memory, normalizes metabolism, is well absorbed by the kidneys, does not irritate the stomach. There are a lot of vitamins, it consists of manganese, calcium, sodium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, magnesium, etc.

Dioscorea Japanese

This species is distinguished from Dioscorea Caucasian shape of leaves, length of stem, reaching 4 m in height, thicker rhizomes (up to 5 cm), broadly elliptic with a box of fruit and fewer male spikelets. Lower leaves are seven-bladed, with a large and elongated Central portion, the average have 3-5 lobes, the upper – virtually without blades. The flowers are small, unisexual, yellowish-green perianth. Rastenie propagated by seeds and shoots.

Widespread Dioscorea of the Japanese in the far East, in the southern part. Listed in the Red book, is cultivated. For medicinal purposes harvested rhizomes beginning in April and ending the first frost. Active ingredients are steroid glycosides (saponins) derived from diosgenin. The most important of these is dioscin.

Saponins lower cholesterol in the blood, so are recommended for both prevention of atherosclerosis and its treatment. As a result of applying of decoctions and infusions decreases or completely disappears the noise in the ears, headache, fatigue. Wild Yam acts as a diuretic, it increases bile flow and reduces blood clotting.


Dioscorea opposite

It is an ancient cultivated plant common in Japan and China. Its stems, slightly angular, or twisted, reaching a length of 9 m. the Leaves are opposite, length 4–7cm, cordate at the base, lobed almost to the ends. In the axils of the leaves, globular nodules. Flowerswhitish, cinnamon, creating solitary or paired axillary racemes. In the medical purposes use the roots of plants and sometimes leaves. Rhizomes are harvested in the end of the vegetation period in autumn.

Dioscorea opposite is a great remedy for diseases of the kidneys, stomach, spleen. It is used as an expectorant. Infusion of leaves helps with dry asthmatic cough. A decoction of the leaves of Dioscorea is used for menopauses in women with Goji berries and Chinese licorice, dogwood, remenyi adhesive. The crushed roots can be included in the herbs in the urinary and bronchial asthma.


Dioscorea nipponskoy

This endemic plant of Eastern Asia. It is common in the Primorsky Krai, in the South-East of the Amur region, southern Khabarovsk Krai, and also in China and Japan. Stems glabrous, up to 4 m in length, rhizome thick, horizontal. The leaves are alternate, cordate, with three, five or seven blades. The flowers are yellowish-green, on short pedicels, in racemes or rarely in panicles. For the production of medicine the rhizomes are harvested in September-October. The dried raw material can be stored for 3 years.

Powders and decoctions of the rhizomes have diuretic, choleretic and anti-sclerotic effect, lowers blood pressure and blood clotting. From the roots and rhizomes dry extract made "Polysporin"preventing the deposition of lipids in liver and the cardiovascular system. It displays"bad" cholesterol, improves heart function and increases the diuresis. Extract is used for the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis and hypertension.

The positive effect of Dioscorea in this case is due to a slower absorption of cholesterol in intestines and decrease its level in blood. Cholesterol is held in colloidal solution and excreted from the body, not having deposited on the walls of blood vessels.


Dioscorea ivory

The birthplace of Dioscorea ivory is South Africa, where this exotic plant grows in natural conditions. Its uniqueness lies in the presence of spherical aerial tuber (caudex), which in ideal conditions can reach a height of 3 m with a diameter of 1 m and weight up to 400 kg. from Afar caudex resembles the shell of a tortoise because is covered with a polygonal probkowania growths. Given the size of the root system of plants is surprisingly small and is located mainly in the surface layer of the earth.

From the toptuber sprout thin curly stems, the length is from two to five meters. The leaves are alternate, cordate, with rounded lobes. Their length is 2-5 cm Small yellowish green flowers in racemose inflorescences. The flesh of the caudex is edible. It is similar to turnip and the flesh rich in starch. For many Africans, it is the main food product.

This type of Yam for therapeutic purposes is not used, but its value as a decorative plant.


Dioscorea hairy

This perennial vine grows in the dense forests of North America (Indiana, North Carolina, Virginia). She knotted woody rhizome and thin branching shoots up to a height of 5 m. the Leaves are alternate, pubescent, with 7-11 veins. Petioles glabrous or almost glabrous. The flowers are small, yellowish-green, clustered in drooping racemes. Dioscorea blooms in June – early July.

As a medicinal raw materials are rhizomes contain saponins. On the basis of Dioscorea shaggy made contraceptives and creams to treat eczema. It is an effective anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, antispasmodic, cholagogue and Antirheumatic. Due to its ability to dilate blood vessels wild Yam helps with spasms and cramps during the premenstrual period.

The plant contains phytoestrogens, including diosgenin. It is a natural precursor of progesterone. The use of decoctions and infusions of the roots of Dioscorea shaggy menopause prevents the development of osteoporosis, in addition, regulates the work of the sex glands. Also the preparations of Dioscorea in the treatment of urinary tract infections and cystitis.


Contraindications to the use of Dioscorea

Wild Yam is not recommended for patients with bradycardia and pregnant women. Other contraindications have been identified. Saponins can irritate mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract, therefore, decoctions and tinctures should be taken after meals. When using drugs in rare cases, there may be side effects: loss of appetite, skin itching, bowel disorders, sweating. When you see these symptoms, you should reduce the dose or temporarily stop taking the Dioscorea.