Dioscorea spp

Isopr. DITERP. cvclized cembranes (pantrop., C 6.1.1.1) STEROIDS norcholestanes diosgenin Dioscorea spp. MI and other Liliales, Ang. AY). 

Ex precursor Protogracillin in Dioscorea spp. (Mexican yam) (Dioscoreaceae) [anti-rheumatic, anti-arthritic plant], Costus speciosus (Zingiberaceae)... 

Diosgenin was accumulated in various plants mostly in Family Dioscoreae, Zingeberaceae, and Liliaceae as glycoside. It was reported by Mahato et al. [1], that 63 kinds of saponins have diosgenin as its aglycon. Diosgenin was produced commercially mosdy from rhizomes of Dioscorea spp. (5-8%) and Costus spp. (1-3%) [2]. 

After maceration of the fresh Dioscorea spp. tubers, hydrolysis was refluxing with 2N HC1 for 2 hours,extraction of diosgenin from dry acid insoluble residue with petroleum ether (40-60). After evaporating to dryness the extract was dissolved in CHCh before analysis. 

People around the world enjoy Africa s culinary contributions. These include the peanut Arachis hypogaea, Fabaceae), yam (Dioscorea spp., Dioscoreaceae), watermelon Citrullus lanatus, Cucurbitaceae), okra Abelmoschus esculentus, Malvaceae) and many other foods and flavors. In North America and in many other parts of the world there is little recognition of the many contributions that Africa has made to modem culture, i.e., perhaps beyond the domain of etlmobotanists and pharmacognosists. 

Examples of adaptogenic herbs include Panax ginseng and species, Eleuthrococcus, Glycyrrhiza, Smilax spp., Dioscorea spp., Centella asiatica, Bupleurum spp. and Schisandra sinensis. 

In addition to these species, there are several species that are already used in food industries for starch. These include maize, sorghum, taro, colocasia, sweet potato, cassava, Dioscorea spp., breadfruit and jackfruit. 

Yamogenin and yamogenin isomer diosgenin, (25J )-spirost-5-en-3P-ol (10-64) are the aglycones of saponins in yams Dioscorea spp., Dioscoraceae) whose starchy tubers are eaten in Africa, Southeast Asia and the Pacific region (D. alata and D. escuknta in Southeast Asia, D. trifida in South America, D. rotundata and D. cayenensis in West Africa). Yams typically contain 4-8% saponins, which are also a source of steroids for the pharmaceutical industry. 

---