Dioscorea hamiltonii Health Dictionary

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Dioscorea Hamiltonii: From 1 Different Sources

Hook. f.

Family: Dioscoreaceae.

Habitat: The Western Ghats, Sikkim, Assam, Orissa and Bengal.

Ayurvedic: Vaaraahi (var.).

Folk: Naagar-kanda (Bihar).

Action: Tubers contain 85.50% carbohydrates, 8.30% albuminoids.

Health Source: Indian Medicinal Plants
Author: Health Dictionary

Decalepis Hamiltonii

Wight & Arn.

Family: Asclepiadaceae.

Habitat: Deccan Peninsula; common in the forest areas of Western Ghats.

Unani: Desi Ushbaa.

Siddha/Tamil: Mahali kizhangu.

Action: Root—appetizer, blood purifier, bacteriostatic. Used as a substitute for Shveta Saarivaa (Hemidesmus indicus). Sold as Saarivaa in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. The root powder is given to diabetics.

The root contains quercetin, kaempferol, coumarin and rutin. It has a sweet sarsaparilla-like taste; contains 92% fleshy matter and 8% woody core.

The root can be stored for longer periods and remains unaffected by microorganisms and insects, apparently due to the presence of the volatile principle which possesses bacteriostat- ic and toxic properties.

The root, on steam distillation, gave 4-O-methyl-resorcylaldehyde in a concentration of 0.8%. (The growth of E. coli was arrested by the aldehyde in 0.041% concentration; fish died within 4 min in 0.02% solution.) The sterols consists mainly of stagma and brassica sterols. Alpha-amyrin and lupeol, both free and as esters are also present in the root.

The plant contains lupeol, beta- amyrin 2-hydroxy, 4-methoxy benzaldehyde, and ferulic acid.... decalepis hamiltonii

Dioscorea Alata

Linn.

Synonym: D. atropurpurea Roxb. D. globosa Roxb. D. purpurea Roxb.

Family: Dioscoreaceae.

Habitat: Native to East Asia; cultivated in Assam, Vadodara, Tamil Nadu, Bengal and Madhya Pradesh.

English: Wild Yam, Greater Yam, Asiatic Yam.

Ayurvedic: Kaashthaaluka. Aaluka (var.). Aalukas (yams) of Ayurvedic texts, belong to Dioscorea spp.

Siddha/Tamil: Perumvalli kizhangu.

Folk: Kathaalu.

Action: Even the best among the cultivated yams causes irritation in the throat or a feeling of discomfort when eaten raw. Wild yams—cholagogue, antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory, antirheumatic, diuretic. Also used for painful periods, cramps and muscle tension.

Key application: Dioscorea villosa L., Wild Yam—as spasmolytic, anti-inflammatory. (The British Herbal Pharmacopoeia.)

The edible tubers of Dioscorea alata are purple-coloured and contain an- thocyanins, cyanidin and peonidin- 3-gentiobioside acylated with sinapic acid. The tubers contain surcose, while leaves contain large quantities of D- fructose, D-glucose and the polyols, 2-deoxyribitol, 6-deoxysorbitol and glycerol.

Mouldy yams are reported to contain a compound ipomeanol which is being tested against human lung cancer. (J. Am Med Assoc, 1994,15, 23.)

Diosgenin obtained from Dioscorea species was used in the first commercial production of oral contraceptives, topical hormones, systemic corticos- teroids, androgens, estrogens, pro- gestogens and other sex hormones.

The chemical transformation of di- osgenin to estrogen, progesterone or any other steroidal compound does not occur in human body. Topically applied Wild Yam does not appear to cause changes in serum FSH, estradi- ol or progesterone. (Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database, 2007.)

Diosgenin, combined with the drug clofibrate, caused a greater decrease in LDL than either substance alone in rats. (Sharon M. Herr.)... dioscorea alata

Dioscorea Anguina

Roxb.

Synonym: D. puber Blume.

Family: Dioscoreaceae.

Habitat: Wet regions of the Himalayas from Central Nepal, eastwards to northern Bengal, Assam and Chittagong.

Ayurvedic: Kaasaalu, Kasaalu.

Folk: Koshakanda (Bengal).

Action: See D. alata.... dioscorea anguina

Dioscorea Bulbifera

Linn.

Synonym: D. sativa Thumb auct. non L.D. versicolor Buch.-Ham ex Wall.

Family: Dioscoreaceae.

Habitat: Throughout tropical India, at 1,500-2,100 m.

English: Patoto Yam, Bulb-bearing Yam, Air Potato, Dog Yam.

Ayurvedic: Vaaraahi, Vaaraahikan- da, Grshti, Banaaalu, Suraalu, Raktaalu. Substitute for Vriddhi.

Unani: Baraahikand.

Siddha/Tamil: Kodi-kilangu, Pannu-kilangu.

Action: Dried and pounded tubers are used as an application for swellings, boils and ulcers; roasted tubers are used in dysentery, piles, venereal sores. Leaf—febrifuge.

The raw tubers are bitter due to the presence of furanoid norditerpenes (they lose their bitterness on roasting and are then eaten). The wild tubers contain nearly 83% starch and possess hunger-suppressing property. They contain certain poisonous alkaloids.

The rhizomes afforded D-sorbitol, furanoid norditerpenes—diosbulbins A-D, 2,4,6,7-tetrahydroxy-9,10-dihy- drophenanthrene and 2,4,5,6,-tetra- hydroxyphenanthrene, diosgenin, lucein, neoxanthine, violaxanthin, zeax- anthin, auroxanthin and cyrptoxan- thin.... dioscorea bulbifera

Dioscorea Daemona

Roxb.

Ayurvedic: Hastyaaluka.

Siddha/Tamil: Peiperendai.

Folk: Karukandu, Kolo (Bihar).

Action: Tubers—used for ulcer, to kill worms in wounds. Plant parts— used in whitlow, sores, boils.

The tubers contain 81.45-81.8 carbohydrates, 7.20-9.12% albuminoids. The toxic principle is dioscorine which is distributed throughout the plant.... dioscorea daemona

Dioscorea Glabra

Roxb.

Family: Dioscoreaceae.

Habitat: Assam, Bengal, Bihar, Orissa and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Ayurvedic: Shankhaaluka.

Action: Tubers contain 77.7978.23% carbohydrates, 9.73-10.13% albuninoids.... dioscorea glabra

Dioscorea Deltoidea

Wall ex Griseb.

Synonym: D. nepalensis Sweet ex Bernardi.

Family: Dioscoreaceae.

Habitat: The Himalaya from Kashmir to Arunachal Pradesh and in Assam at 450-3,100 m.

Ayurvedic: Vaaraahikanda (var.), Grishti.

Folk: Gun, Kris (Punjab).

Action: Tuber—antipthiriac. Leaf— febrifuge. The rhizomes are a rich source of diogenin and its glycoside. Steroidal saponins have also been isolated. Diogenin is used in the preparation of various steroidal drugs.

Synonym: D. hispada Dennst. D. hirsuta Dennst.

Family: Dioscoreaceae.

Habitat: Sikkim, the Himalayas, Khasi Hills.... dioscorea deltoidea

Dioscorea Esculenta

Burkill.

Synonym: D. aculeata Linn. D. faciculata Roxb. D. spinosa Roxb ex Wall.

Family: Dioscoreaceae.

Habitat: Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Orissa, Bengal, Assam and the Andamans.

English: Lesser Yam, Karen Potato.

Ayurvedic: Madhvaaluka.

Siddha/Tamil: Musilam, Valli kilangu, Siruvalli Kilangu.

Folk: Suthani.

Action: Tubers are starchy and free from dioscorine, contain 71.29% carbohydrates, 10.82% albuminoids.... dioscorea esculenta

Dioscorea Oppositifolia

Linn.

Family: Dioscoreaceae.

Habitat: South India; throughout the hills of Deccan.

Ayurvedic: Amlikaakanda (controversial synonym).

Siddha: Kavala-kodi, Venilai Valli.

Folk: Aambaalio Kanda (Gujarat).

Action: Used externally for reducing swellings.... dioscorea oppositifolia

Dioscorea Pentaphylla

Linn.

Synonym: D. triphylla var. doemona Prain & Burkill.

Family: Dioscoreaceae.

Habitat: Native to tropical Asia; distributed throughout India.

Ayurvedic: Vaaraahikanda (var., dry pieces are sold as Vidaarikanda).

Folk: Kaantaalu.

Action: Tubers contain 71.0780.77% carbohydrates, 8.68-15.93% albuminoids. Tubers are used to disperse swellings.... dioscorea pentaphylla

Dioscorea Prazeri

Prain & Burkill.

Synonym: D. Clarkei Prain & Burkill D. deltoidea Wall. var. sikkimensis Prain

Family: Dioscoreaceae.

Habitat: The Himalaya from Nepal to Bhutan, up to 1,500 m, also in Naga Hills.

Ayurvedic: Neelaalu.

Action: Tuber—antiphthiriac.

The rhizomes are used as a hair wash for killing lice. They contain diogenin (on dry basis) 2.5%. Also obtained are steroidal sapogenins, sito- sterol glucoside, prazerigenin-A gluco- side, prazerigenin-A bioside and 9,10- dihydrophenanthrenes.... dioscorea prazeri

Farsetia Hamiltonii

Royle.

Fagopyrum tataricum Gaertn.

Family: Polygonaceae.

Habitat: Cultivated in the Himalayas, especially in the colder parts of Ladakh, Zaskar and Western Tibet.

English: Tatary Duckwheat.

Ayurvedic: Ukhal.

Folk: Kutu (var.).

Action: See F. esculentum. Duck- wheat is a better source of rutin than the common Buckwheat. It contains 45-80% more rutin than the latter, and maintains its high rutin content for a longer period.

Family: Cruciferae; Brassicaceae.

Habitat: Mediterranean region, eastwards to India and southwards to tropical Africa.

Folk: Farid-booti (Punjab).

Action: Antirheumatic.

Farsetia species contain a volatile oil which gave glucosinolates. Allylglu- cosinolate is the major constituent.... farsetia hamiltonii

Piper Hamiltonii

C. DC.

Family: Piperaceae.

Habitat: Sikkim, Terai, West Bengal and Khasi hills, up to 900 m.

English: Wild Pepper.

Folk: Jangali Paan.

Action: Carminative and diuretic.

Kadsurin A and isodihydrofuto- quinol B have been isolated from aerial parts.... piper hamiltonii

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