Wild yam is considered to be traditional medicine used for medicinal
purpose. It is been used for various diseases by ancient people.
It is climbing vine native to eastern America, New England to Minnesota
and Ontario, south to florida and texas.
The plant of wild yam is both edible and medicinal.
Wild yam is perennial climbing vine that grows upto 15 feet in height
having long, smooth stem and several long leaves gushing out.
The leaves are heart-shaped, petioled, 2 to 6 inches long and 1 to 4
inches broad.
Leaves have several veins running inside lengthwise from the centre of
the leaf out into a fan pattern.
The flowers produced in clusters are small green-yellow in colour and 3
to 6 inches long.
Wild is cultivated in Europe, northern and eastern America including few
other countries.
In central and southern United States wild yam is found in swamps, damp
areas, roadside fences and near hedges.
Roots.
Wild yam's main constituents are glycosides, botogenin and diosgenin.
Wild yam is been a traditional herbal medicine used for various
disorders like menstrual cramps and hot flashes.
It contains a constituent called diosgenin which is commercially
extracted to chemically convert into harmone progesterone.
The products made of wild yam like oral pills and cream are available
in market.
Wild yam is also useful in high cholesterol, muscle spasm, stress and
pain.
The herbal roots of wild yam help in abdominal pain, premenstrual
syndrome.