(Roxb.) Blume ex Decne.Family: Araceae.
Habitat: Native to tropical Asia; cultivated throughout India.
English: Elephant-foot Yam.Ayurvedic: Suurana, Kanduula, Arshoghna, Kand-ayak, Kandala.Unani: Zamin-qand, Zamikand.Siddha/Tamil: Chenaikkizhangu. Kaathukarunai (wild var.)Action: Corm is prescribed in bronchitis, asthma, abdominal pain, emesis, dysentery, enlargement of spleen, piles, elephantiasis, diseases due to vitiated blood, rheumatic swellings.
Along with other therapeutic applications, The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India indicates the use of corm in prostatic hyperplasia.(The corm is irritant due to the presence of calcium oxalate. It can be con- sumedafterit iswashedwell andboiled in tamarind water or butter milk.)The corm contains an active di- astatic enzyme amylase, betulinic acid, tricontane, lupeol, stigmasterol, beta- sitosterol and its palmitate and glucose, galactose, rhamnose and xylose.Intake of 3.6-7.2 g of konjac (Amor- phophallus konjac tuber) mannan for 90 days reduced the dose of insulin or hypoglycaemic drugs (in human clinical study). (Francis Brinker.)Amorphophallus sylvatius Kunth. is equated with the wild var. of Suu- rana, used especially in the treatment of piles.Dosage: Dried corm—2-10 g powder. (API Vol. III.) 3-5 g powder. (CCRAS.)