Yam plant

Perennial climbing plant from the yam family (Dioscoreaceae), native to the tropics, which grows up to 3 m high. There are up to 800 species of yam plant. It flowers from September to October. The up to 2 m long rhizomes, sweet-tasting roots, are used as a phytopharmaceutical, see Rhizoma Dioscoreae villosae . Due to the plant hormones (phytohormones) it contains, the yam is used phytotherapeutically to alleviate menopausal and menstrual complaints and is a popular food in South America, Africa and the Caribbean, similar to potatoes or bread in our culture.

Diosgenin, is similar to the human hormone progesterone.