Dioscorea polystachya
Chinese yam
Dioscorea polystachya, commonly known as the many-stemmed yam, is a versatile medicinal plant found in various tropical regions. Renowned for its therapeutic properties, this tuberous herb is used in traditional medicine to treat inflammatory conditions, digestive issues, and skin ailments, offering significant potential for modern pharmacological research and development.
- Scientific name: Dioscorea polystachya
- Family: Dioscoreaceae
- Native range: Asia-Temperate
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, situated within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. It is further classified under the order Dioscoreales and the family Dioscoreaceae. Ultimately, it is identified by the genus Dioscorea as Dioscorea polysachya.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Dioscoreales | WCVP |
| Family | Dioscoreaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Dioscorea | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Dioscorea polysachya, is recognized by various common names depending on the region and language. In Chinese, it is referred to as 長山藥 (zh) or 長山藥 (zh-tw), while in Japan, it is commonly called ナガイモ (ja). Its name in Latvian is Ķīnas jamss (lv), and in Arabic, it is written as ديسقوريا متعددة السنيبلاត (ar).| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| zh | 長山藥 | Wikidata |
| ar | ديسقوريا متعددة السنيبلات | Wikidata |
| ja | ナガイモ | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 長山藥 | Wikidata |
| lv | Ķīnas jamss | Wikidata |
| ko | 마 | Wikidata |
| fa | یم چینی | Wikidata |
| pl | Pochrzyn chiński | Wikidata |
| lt | Batatinė dioskorėja | Wikidata |
| szy | kuletu | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a broad geographical range spanning across several distinct regions in East Asia. In the Russian Far East, its presence is noted in both the Kuril Islands and the Primorye region. Moving into China, the species is widely distributed throughout the South-Central territories. Furthermore, it can be found inhabiting the landscapes of Inner Mongolia. Finally, its range extends into the North-Central parts of China, completing its diverse distribution pattern.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Russian Far East | Kuril Is. | WCVP |
| Russian Far East | Primorye | WCVP |
| China | China South-Central | WCVP |
| China | Inner Mongolia | WCVP |
| China | China North-Central | WCVP |
| China | China Southeast | WCVP |
| Eastern Asia | Japan | WCVP |
| Eastern Asia | Korea | WCVP |
| Eastern Asia | Nansei-shoto | WCVP |
| Eastern Asia | Taiwan | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, known scientifically as Dioscorea polysachya, is a climbing herb where various components are utilized for their therapeutic properties. The most significant part is the starchy tuber, which is harvested and processed to obtain a potent extract used in traditional medicine. While the aerial parts, including the stems and leaves, are often studied for their botanical characteristics, it is the underground storage organ that holds the highest medicinal value. After the initial processing of the tubers, the remaining residue may be examined to ensure the efficiency of the extraction process.- Total parts
- 5
- Scientific sources
- 6
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| tuber | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| residue | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| leaves | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| extract | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| aerial parts | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Dioscorea polystachya has 20 reported phytochemicals identified across 21 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include flavonoids, 3-acetyl-11-keto-beta-boswellic acid, DL-tryptophan, Magnesium, Protocatechuic acid.
- Total chemicals
- 20
- Scientific sources
- 21
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| flavonoids | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 3-acetyl-11-keto-beta-boswellic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| DL-tryptophan | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Magnesium | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Protocatechuic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| adenosine | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| aminocaproic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| chlorophyll | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| cycloleucine | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| diosgenin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Dioscorea polystachya has 1 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antifatigue.
- Total activities
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Antifatigue | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Dioscorea polystachya has 6 reported medicinal uses identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include apoptosis, digestion, inflammation, kidney, lung.
- Total uses
- 6
- Scientific sources
- 6
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| apoptosis | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| digestion | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| inflammation | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| kidney | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| lung | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| oxidative stress | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |