The herbaceous plant, belonging to the large Dioscoreian family, is called wild yam in many countries, although it is more commonly known as the Caucasian dioscorea. Due to the unique beneficial properties of the root of this creeper, the plant is popularly awarded the name "root of youth."
Preparations made from the roots of dioscorea help fight atherosclerosis, headache, hypertension, and tinnitus. This species is most often found in the Caucasus, in the western regions of Transcaucasia. Unfortunately, the natural reserves of this plant are limited. In the old days, only a select few could use it for medicinal purposes, so the Caucasian dioscorea was often called the “Kremlin grass”.
Today, modern methods of cultivating dioscorea have been developed, so today everyone can appreciate its medicinal properties.
Plant description
The Caucasian Dioscorea, the description of which can be found in many reference books for herbalists, is a perennial liana. It has been growing for forty years. In natural conditions, prefers oak-hornbeam, oak forests, slopes, clearings, dense thickets of shrubs. The plant feels great on clay, rocky neutral soils. Dioscorea propagates by seed and vegetatively.
Liana has a thick, powerful and very long rhizome, which is located horizontally. Outside it is painted brownish brown. Over the entire length it is covered with numerous rather rigid roots-branches. Over time, the plant deepens into the soil by almost two meters.
The stems are curly, up to four meters long. The lower leaves have a whorled arrangement , and the upper leaves are opposite or next. Leaves are located on petioles. They have a heart-oval shape. The length of the plates varies from 6 to 15 cm, at the apex they are pointed, with slightly notched edges, arc-shaped veins are clearly visible. On the underside they are slightly pubescent.
Flowering of the plant begins in May and ends in July. The flowers are rather inconspicuous in appearance, small (no more than 4 mm in diameter), having a simple perianth, consisting of 6 petals. They are unisexual, painted yellow-green. Stamen flowers are arranged in bunches of three in axillary hands.
Interestingly, the name of dioscorea comes from the name of the naturalist, pharmacologist and military doctor of Ancient Greece - Pedania Dioscorides. He first described in his works a wonderful vine.
Fruit
In the period from July to September, the fruits ripen on the plant. These are trihedral capsules about 3 cm in size, with webbed wings. Seeds also have pterygoid flat outgrowths, which provide them with high volatility.
Chemical composition
The healing properties of Caucasian Dioscorea are due to its chemical composition. The roots of the plant contain almost 10% steroid saponins. The most significant of them are protodioscin, protogracilin and dioscin. These are active compounds that are able to bind cholesterol and quickly remove it from the body, destroying complex complexes of lipids and proteins that form on the walls of blood vessels and subsequently form atherosclerotic plaques.
In addition to saponins, the Caucasian dioscorea contains trace elements (selenium and chromium), starch, and fat-like substances.
Healing properties
Dioscorea-based drugs are most effective for older people. They gently lower blood pressure, have an antisclerotic effect, dilate blood vessels, activate coronary circulation, and reduce blood coagulation. The use of Caucasian dioscorea is indicated for the following diseases:
- rheumatism;
- gout;
- cataract;
- stroke;
- myocardial infarction;
- headache;
- arthritis;
- atherosclerosis;
- hormonal disorders.
The use of drugs based on this plant, according to patients, improves well-being, memory, mood, sleep quality, normalizes heart activity, tinnitus and debilitating headaches disappear. They can be taken as a prophylactic against strokes and heart attacks, to improve the condition after suffering these serious ailments.
A lot of medicinal properties have the root of the Caucasian dioscorea:
- diuretic;
- stimulating the activity of the digestive tract;
- improving the functioning of the liver and biliary tract;
- anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic effect;
- improving general condition: relieves fatigue, has a mild sedative effect on the nervous system, relieves irritability;
- preparations made from the root of the Caucasian dioscorea are effective for pathologies of the adrenal glands, autoimmune diseases, gout, vegetative-vascular dystonia, arthritis.
The plant has been successfully used by herbalists to restore vision in many eye diseases, including cataracts, conjunctivitis, blepharitis, keratitis. Found in the treatment of skin diseases, Caucasian Dioscorea. Indications for use - eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis, neurodermatitis. In these cases, decoctions and infusions based on the roots and rhizomes of the plant are taken orally. In addition, plant powder is used to treat frostbite and furunculosis.
Caucasian dioscorea contains diosgenin, which is a precursor to steroid hormones - progesterone, cortisol and is characterized by estrogenic activity. For women, the plant is used for certain types of hormonal disorders: premenstrual syndrome, severe manifestations of the clinical symptoms of menopause.
Dioscorea is used to make Disponin tablets, a newgalene preparation containing about 30% steroidal water-soluble saponins. The drug is recommended for use in the treatment of general atherosclerosis, combined with hypertension, cardiosclerosis.
In addition to the medicinal properties of the Caucasian Dioscorea, thanks to the beautiful bright green leaves in the summer and golden yellow in autumn, the plant is used in landscape design. Stems of creepers adorn arbors, fences.
Preparations and methods for the use of Caucasian dioscorea
Teas, infusions, decoctions, tincture of vodka, dry powder are prepared from the roots and rhizomes of wild yams. Due to the fact that Caucasian Dioscorea is listed in the Red Book, treatment can be carried out using ready-made medicinal raw materials, which can be purchased at pharmacies.
Ingestion of drugs from the roots of dioscorea should be only after a meal, since they have an irritating effect on the gastrointestinal tract.
How to cook and take the powder?
For this, it is necessary to grind the dry roots and rhizomes of the plant to a powder state. Three times a day for ten days, take two grams of the resulting powder, seizing it with natural honey (one teaspoon). This tool will help fight atherosclerosis, but you need to know that the treatment is long - at least 4 months with weekly breaks between courses.
In case of cardiac abnormalities
Place one and a half grams of plant root powder in an enameled bowl and pour 200 ml of hot water. Put in a water bath for 20 minutes. After this, the composition is cooled, carefully filtered, the volume is adjusted to the initial boiled water. Take for a month three times a day in a spoon (tablespoon). After a break of three weeks, treatment should be continued.
Tincture
Quite simply, the vodka tincture of the Caucasian dioscorea is also prepared. Shredded plant roots (100 g) pour 500 ml of vodka. In a dark, cool place, insist them for 10 days. Shake the tincture daily. After this, strain and take the composition for heart disease three times a day, 25 drops, half an hour after a meal. As a rule, the course of treatment is a month, followed by a week-long break. Then, if necessary, treatment can be continued. At least three courses are recommended.
Atherosclerosis Ointment
Chopped root of dioscorea (100 g) pour 400 grams of interior pork fat (unsalted). Put the composition in a water bath for two hours, stirring it periodically. After this, the product must be completely cooled at room temperature and put in the refrigerator. The ointment is rubbed into the sore areas of the legs before bedtime, starting with the fingers and moving up. Wrap them in a warm towel.
Decoctions
The roots of the plant in powdered form, pour 250 ml of hot water in an enameled bowl and put in a water bath for half an hour. The remedy is infused for 45 minutes. After this, it is filtered, boiled water is brought to its original volume. Take this remedy for heart attack, cardiosclerosis, stroke, tinnitus, headaches, neurodermatitis, psoriasis, one spoonful (tablespoon) three times a day after meals.
The course of treatment is three weeks, after seven days the course is repeated. Treatment must be continued for four months.
There is one more way. For him, 10 grams of crushed raw material, pour a glass of boiling water and put on low heat for 20 minutes. The broth is infused for 4 hours. After that, it can be filtered. The drug is taken in a quarter cup 6 times a day for cystitis, arthritis, gout, with vegetative-vascular dystonia, allergies, with an increase in cholesterol.
For the reproductive system
Traditional healers with the help of this plant successfully treat diseases caused by hormonal failure. Dioscorea-based drugs stop the excessive synthesis of estrogens, having a beneficial effect on the body of patients suffering from endometrosis. In addition, such drugs help maintain the developing fetus and support the general condition of the woman during pregnancy.
Dioscorea-based products are used to treat osteoporosis, hypogonadism, menstrual irregularities, pulling pains and cramps in the lower abdomen, and inflammation of the fallopian tubes. Dioscorea prevents the development of fibroids in women, reduces the risk of cancerous tumors.
Tea
To make tea, you need to mix crushed dry raw materials with the leaves of ordinary green tea in a ratio of 1: 2. This mixture is brewed as tea and drunk in a glass once a day, in the morning. The tool will help improve memory, prevent the development of atherosclerosis and hypertension.
For digestion
It also helps in the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases Caucasian dioscorea. Recipes of decoctions and infusions, we presented above. Dioscorea-based drugs are effective in the treatment of gastritis, but only in the early stages, weakened gastrointestinal motility. For this, in addition to decoctions, you can prepare a drink from the roots of dioscorea, fennel, ginger, lemon balm, chamomile, peppermint in equal amounts. Raw materials are poured with boiling water. The drink is taken 100 ml half an hour before meals.
Allergy remedy
Pour 500 ml of vodka 50 grams of raw materials and for a month insist composition, shaking the container daily. Then the infusion is filtered and taken in 30 drops diluted in 50 ml of water. Depending on the severity and course of the disease, the treatment will last from 4 months to a year.
Respiratory system
Dioscorea can be used to treat pneumonia and bronchitis. The roots of the plant are used in the form of tea, to enhance the circulation of the respiratory organs, the outflow of mucus. Regular intake of this drink allows patients suffering from bronchial asthma to improve their well-being.
Side effects
Side effects of dioscorea-based drugs include:
- intestinal disorders;
- itching on the skin.
In this case, it is necessary to reduce the dosage or stop taking medications.
Contraindications
When taking medications, it is necessary to take into account the existing contraindications. Caucasian Dioscorea should not be used for treatment of:
- pregnancy
- during lactation;
- bradycardia;
- individual intolerance;
- hypotension (low blood pressure).
Despite the fact that the list of contraindications is small, consultation with a specialist before treatment is necessary.
It is important to strictly observe the indicated dosages, since exceeding them can cause acceleration of contractions of the heart muscle, and the appearance of edema.
Dioscorea Caucasian: patient reviews
Judging by the reviews, dioscorea is a really valuable medicinal plant that helps fight many serious ailments. For example, hypertensive patients claim that when taking drugs based on it, the pressure stabilizes, its sharp jumps are much less likely, and tinnitus disappears. Most patients note the beneficial effect of this liana on the whole body: an amazing lightness and a surge of energy appear.