WILD YAM DIOSCOREA VILLOSA

WILD YAM (Dioscorea villosa L.) ++

Synonyms :
D. hirticaulis Bartlett, D. villosa var. hirticaulis (Bartlett) H. E. Ahles.

Activities (Wild Yam) :
Analeptic (1; HHB); Analgesic (f; APA; FAD); Antiinflammatory (1; APA; PNC; WAM); Antioxidant (f; SKY); Antirheumatic (1; APA; PED); Antispasmodic (1; APA; PH2; SKY; WAM); Antiulcer (1; PH2); Bitter (f; PED); Cholagogue (f; PNC); Diaphoretic (f; APA; FEL; PH2; PNC); Diuretic (f; HHB); Emetic (f; TOM); Estrogenic (f; PH2); Expectorant (f; APA; FEL; HHB); Hepatoprotective (1; PH2); Hypocholesterolemic (1; PH2); Hypoglycemic (f; SKY); Mastogenic (1; PH2); Myorelaxant (f; APA).

Indications (Wild Yam) :
Angina (f; MAD); Appendicitis (f; MAD); Arthrosis (f; APA; PED); Asthma (f; FEL); Atherosclerosis (f; MAD); Biliousness (f; FEL; TOM); Childbirth (f; DEM; FAD); Cholecystosis (f; PHR); Cholera (1; MAD); Colic (1; APA; PH2; PNC; SKY; TOM; WAM); Conjunctivosis (f; FEL); Cramp (f; APA; MAD; PH2; SKY; WAM); Dysentery (f; MAD); Dysmenorrhea (f; APA; MAD; PH2; PNC); Enterosis (1; HHB; MAD; PH2); Fever (f; APA; FEL; PH2; PNC); Frigidity (f; HHB); Gallstone (f; APA; MAD); Gas (1; MAD; WAM); Gastrosis (f; FAD; FEL); Headache (1; WAM); Hemorrhoid (f; MAD); Hepatosis (1; FEL; PH2); Hiccup (f; FAD; MAD); High Cholesterol (1; PH2; SKY); High Triglycerides (1; APA; SKY); Hyperglycemia (f; SKY); Hysteria (f; MAD); IBS (f; PED); Impotence (f; HHB; MAD); Inflammation (1; APA; FNF; PNC; TOM: WAM); Ischiosis (f; MAD); Jaundice (f; FEL); Low HDL (1; APA); Menopause (f; SKY); Morning Sickness (f; APA; FAD; FEL; TOM); Myosis (f; SKY); Nausea (f; FEL; TOM); Nephrosis (f; MAD); Neuropathy (f; HHB; MAD); Neurasthenia (f; HHB; MAD); Pain (f; APA; DEM; FAD; MAD); Parturition (f; APA); Rheumatism (1; APA; HHB; MAD; PED; PNC; TOM); Spermatorrhea (f; MAD); Stomachache (f; MAD); Syphilis (f; MAD); Tenesmus (f; MAD); Tension (1; WAM); Ulcer (1; PH2); VD (f; MAD); Vomiting (f; FEL; TOM); Water Retention (f; HHB).

Dosages (Wild Yam) :
250–500 mg root/day (APA); 2–4 g powdered root (HHB); 40–400 mg powdered root (MAD); 1–2 tsp fresh root (PED); 2–4 g dry root (PED); 3 g dry root:15 ml alcohol/15 ml water (PED); 2–3 ml root tincture 3–4 ×/day (SKY); 0.5 tsp root tincture 2 ×/day (APA); 20–60 drops root tincture (FEL); 2–4 ml liquid root extract/day (APA); 2 (505 mg) capsules/day; 1 (505 mg) StX capsule/day (JAD); 2–4 fluid oz decoction.

Contraindications, Interactions, and Side Effects (Wild Yam) :
Class 1. Large doses of tincture are emetic (AHP). While the medicinal yams may be so rich in saponins as to be distasteful, overconsumption is not to be recommended. Reichert (1996) reports GI distress in volunteers taking high doses of wild yam, after saying that the investigators (Araghiniknam et al, 1996) he was reviewing “noted no adverse effects.” Gruenwald warns that overdoses could lead to picrotoxin-like poisonings due to dioscorin (PHR). Diosgenin may reduce antiinflammatory effects of indomethacin (PH2). May be additively estrogenic with true estrogen (PH2). Use may be inappropriate in hormonal disorders (WAM). Use during pregnancy not advised (WAM). Limit children’s use to 1 week (WAM). Starter material for progesterone, testosterone, and other steroids and corticosteroids. Steroids used for arthrosis, dysmenorrhea, menopause (PMS). Not covered in Commission E (KOM).