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Devil's Bones | | Name : | Devil's Bones | | Synonyms : | Aluka(Sanskrit name)
Chinaroot
Colicroot
Devil'sbones
Mexicanwild yam
Pleurisyroot
Rheumatismroot
Shan-yao(Chinese name)
Yuma
| | Parts Used : | Dried root (rhizome) | | Habitat : | Grows in the United States from Rhode Island to Minnesota, Floridaand Texas. Twining in thickets, over fences, over trees and shrubsin the woods, in hedges and over bushes, the thin, woolly, reddish-brownstem grows from 5-18 feet long. | | Description : | Wild yam is a perennial vine; the long, slender, knotted, contorted,woody, tuberous rootstock is crooked and laterally branched and twiningstems. Broadly ovate and cordate, the heart-shaped, leaves are from2-6 inches long and about three-fourths as wide, glabrous on top,and finely fairy underneath on long stems. They are usually alternate,but the lower leaves sometimes grow in twos and fours. The tiny, greenish-yellowflowers, cinnamon scented, grow on branched stalks from the axilsof the leaves, male and female on separate plants, blooms during Juneand July, the male flowers in drooping panicles, the female in droopingspicate racemes. The fruit is a three-winged (triangular) capsulecontaining winged seeds.
There are nearly 150 varieties of Dioscorea many of them developingedible tubers like potatoes. An ornamental variety is D. batatas,sometimes known as the Chinese yam, the red velvet yam, or the cinnamonyam. In using D. villosa, do not confuse oriental tonic wild yams. | | Constituents : | Glycoside saponins and diosgenin, which are hormone precursors, especiallyprogesterone and other cortical steroids that effect the female menstrualcycle and help to reduce pain.
Analgesic, antibilious, antispasmodic, aphrodisiac, diaphoretic,diuretic, expectorant, emetic in large doses, hepatic, nutritive tonic | | Uses : | It was once commonly prescribed for bilious colic.Wild yam is said to be soothing to the nerves and beneficial for neuralgia,neuritis, and pains in theurinary tract. Some have considered it an antispasmodic, for pain,and recommended it for cramps.Is effective for the liver and gallbladder, indigestion.During pregnancy, small frequent doses will help allay nausea.It will help expel gas from the stomach and bowels. Relieves gastrointestinalirritations, asthma, spasmodichiccough, and 'chronic gastritis of drunkards'. Contains diosgenin,used to manufacture progesterone and other steroid drugs. Most ofthe steroid hormones used in modern medicine, especially those incontraceptives, were developed from elaborately processed chemicalcomponents derived from yams. Drugs made with yam-derived components(diosgenins) relieve arthritis,eczema, regulate metabolismand control fertility. Synthetic products manufactured from diosgeninsinclude human sex hormones (contraceptive pills), drugs to treat menopause,impotency, prostate hypertrophy,and psycho-sexual problems, as well as highblood pressure, arterial spasms, migraines,and other ailments. Widely prescribed cortisones and hydrocortisoneswere indirect products of the genus Dioscorea. They are used for Addison'sdisease, some allergies,bursitis, contact dermatitis, psoriasis,sciatica, brownrecluse spider bites, insectstings, etc.
These steroid-like substances and this may explain why it relievesrheumatism pains, and otherinflammations.It can be taken to relieve musclespasms. Native Americans used wild yam to relieve labor pains. | | Dosage : | Infusion: steep 1 tsp. root in 1 cup water for 30 minutes.Take 1 cup in the course of a day, a mouthful at a time.
Tincture: take 10-30 drops in water, 3-4 times a day as needed. | | Safety : | Fresh plant may induce vomiting and other undesirable side effects.
In using, do not confuse oriental tonic wild yams.
Care should be taken when using this herb if there is an excess ofmucous or congestion in the body.
Avoid large doses of D. villosa in pregnancy unless under medicalsupervision; may be taken during labor. | | Myths : | Used to make the original contraceptive pills when synthetic hormoneproduction was not a commercial proposition. Mexican wild yam (D.villosa) contains hormonal substances very similar to progesterone.It also relaxes smooth muscle; hence another of its common names,colic root (Alestris farinosa L.). Many other yams are used as a starterarterial to produce hydrocortisones for non-prescription eczema creams. |
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