Dioscorea villosa
Dioscorea villosa, commonly known as wild yam, is a perennial climbing herb native to North America. Valued in traditional herbalism, this plant contains various steroidal saponins, including diosgenin. These compounds are frequently utilized in pharmacological research for their potential roles in hormone regulation and supporting overall reproductive health.
- Scientific name: Dioscorea villosa
- Family: Dioscoreaceae
- Native range: Northern America
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Dioscoreales, it is a member of the family Dioscoreaceae. It is specifically classified under the genus Dioscorea.
| 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 villosa, is referred to by various names across different languages and cultures. In Hungarian, it is called ideggyökér, while in Persian, it is known as یام وحشی. Its names in Arabic dialects include ديسقوريا وبرية and ديسقوريا وبريه, and in Malay, it is commonly called Ubi kuning.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| hu | ideggyökér | Wikidata |
| fa | یام وحشی | Wikidata |
| ar | ديسقوريا وبرية | Wikidata |
| arz | ديسقوريا وبريه | Wikidata |
| ms | Ubi kuning | Wikidata |
| de | Wilde Yams | Wikidata |
| hu | mexikói jamgyökér | Wikidata |
| zh | 大西洋薯蓣 | Wikidata |
| zh | 长柔毛薯蓣 | Wikidata |
| ar | بطاطا صينية | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a wide range of habitats across the North American landscape. In Eastern Canada, its presence is specifically noted within the province of Ontario. Moving into the North-Central United States, the species is well-distributed across several key states. It can be found growing in the fertile regions of Illinois, Iowa, and Kansas. Additionally, its geographical reach extends northward into the state of Minnesota.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern Canada | Ontario | WCVP |
| North-Central U.S.A. | Illinois | WCVP |
| North-Central U.S.A. | Iowa | WCVP |
| North-Central U.S.A. | Kansas | WCVP |
| North-Central U.S.A. | Minnesota | WCVP |
| North-Central U.S.A. | Missouri | WCVP |
| North-Central U.S.A. | Nebraska | WCVP |
| North-Central U.S.A. | Oklahoma | WCVP |
| North-Central U.S.A. | Wisconsin | WCVP |
| Northeastern U.S.A. | Connecticut | WCVP |
Chemicals
Dioscorea villosa has 7 reported phytochemicals identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Diosgenin, Gracillin, clionasterol, dioscoreavilloside A, dioscoreavilloside B.
- Total chemicals
- 7
- Scientific sources
- 7
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Diosgenin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Gracillin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| clionasterol | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| dioscoreavilloside A | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| dioscoreavilloside B | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| diosgenin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| parvifloside | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Dioscorea villosa has 2 reported activities identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Anticancer, Hypolipidemic.
- Total activities
- 2
- Scientific sources
- 2
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Anticancer | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Hypolipidemic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Dioscorea villosa has 16 reported medicinal uses identified across 16 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, aging, brain injury, cancers.
- Total uses
- 16
- Scientific sources
- 16
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Alzheimer's disease | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Parkinson's disease | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| aging | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| brain injury | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| cancers | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| cognitive impairment | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| glioma | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| hyperlipidemia | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| infections | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| inflammation | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |