A herbaceous plant belonging to the large Dioscorea family is called wild yam in many countries, although it is better known as Caucasian Dioscorea. Due to the unique beneficial properties of the root of this liana, the plant is popularly awarded the name "root of youth".
Drugs made from Dioscorea roots help fight atherosclerosis, headache, hypertension, tinnitus. This species is found most often in the Caucasus, in the western regions of Transcaucasia. Unfortunately, the natural resources of this plant are limited. In the old days, only the elite could use it for medicinal purposes, so the Caucasian Dioscorea was more often called the “Kremlin grass.”
Today, modern methods of cultivating Dioscorea have been developed, so today everyone can appreciate its medicinal properties.
Description of the plant
Caucasian Dioscorea, described in many reference books for herbalists, is a perennial vine. She grows onfor forty years. Under natural conditions, it prefers oak-hornbeam, oak forests, slopes, clearings, dense thickets of shrubs. The plant feels great on clay, stony neutral soils. Dioscorea propagates by seeds and vegetatively.
Liana has a thick, powerful and very long rhizome, which is located horizontally. Outside, it is painted in a brownish-brown color. Along its entire length, it is covered with numerous rather rigid roots-branches. Over time, the plant deepens into the soil by almost two meters.
Stems curly, up to four meters long. The lower leaves are whorled, while the upper leaves are opposite or alternate. The leaves are located on the petioles. They are heart-shaped and oval. The length of the plates varies from 6 to 15 cm, at the top they are pointed, with slightly notched edges, arcuate veins are clearly visible. They are slightly pubescent on the underside.
The 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 single-sex, colored yellow-green. Staminate flowers are arranged in bunches of three in axillary racemes.
It is interesting that the name of Dioscorea comes from the name of the naturalist, pharmacologist and military doctor of Ancient Greece - Pedanias Dioscorides. He first described the wonderful creeper in his writings.
Fruits
Fruits ripen on the plant from July to September. These are triangular boxesabout 3 cm, with membranous wings. The seeds also have wing-shaped flat outgrowths, which provide them with high volatility.
Chemical composition
The medicinal properties of Caucasian Dioscorea are due to its chemical composition. The roots of the plant contain almost 10% steroidal saponins. The most significant of these are protodioscin, protogracillin and dioscin. These are active compounds that are able to bind cholesterol and quickly remove it from the body, destroying the complex complexes of lipids and proteins that form on the walls of blood vessels and subsequently form atherosclerotic plaques.
In addition to saponins, Caucasian Dioscorea contains trace elements (selenium and chromium), starch, fat-like substances.
Healing properties
Dioscorea-based preparations are most effective for older people. They gently lower blood pressure, have an anti-sclerotic effect, dilate blood vessels, activate coronary circulation, and reduce blood clotting. The use of Caucasian Dioscorea is indicated for the following diseases:
- rheumatism;
- gout;
- cataract;
- stroke;
- myocardial infarction;
- headaches;
- arthritis;
- atherosclerosis;
- hormonal disorders.
The use of preparations based on this plant, according to patients, improves well-being, memory, mood, sleep quality, normalizes cardiac activity, tinnitus and debilitating headaches disappear. They can be taken inas a prophylactic against strokes and heart attacks, to improve the condition after suffering these serious illnesses.
The root of Dioscorea Caucasian has many medicinal properties:
- diuretic;
- stimulating the activity of the digestive tract;
- improving the functioning of the liver and biliary tract;
- anti-inflammatory and antiallergic action;
- improving general condition: relieves fatigue, has a slight sedative effect on the nervous system, relieves irritability;
- preparations made from the root of Caucasian Dioscorea are effective in adrenal pathologies, 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. Has found application 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, the powder of the plant is used to treat frostbite and furunculosis.
Dioscorea Caucasian contains in its composition diosgenin, which is a precursor of steroid hormones - progesterone, cortisol and is distinguished 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.
FromDioscorea produce tablets "Disponin" - a novogalenic preparation containing about 30% of steroid water-soluble saponins. The drug is recommended for use in the complex therapy of general atherosclerosis, combined with hypertension, cardiosclerosis.
In addition to the medicinal properties of Caucasian Dioscorea, due to the beautiful bright green leaves in summer and golden yellow in autumn, the plant is used in landscape design. Arbors and fences are decorated with creeper stems.
Preparations and methods of using Dioscorea Caucasian
Teas, infusions, decoctions, vodka tincture, dry powder are prepared from the roots and rhizomes of wild yam. Due to the fact that the 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 preparations from the roots of Dioscorea should be only after meals, as they have an irritating effect on the gastrointestinal tract.
How to prepare and take the powder?
To do 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.
For cardiac disorders
One and a half grams of plant root powderplace in an enamel bowl and pour 200 ml of hot water. Place in a water bath for 20 minutes. After that, the composition is cooled, carefully filtered, the volume is brought to the original boiled water. Take for a month three times a day for a spoon (table). After a break of three weeks, treatment should be continued.
Tincture
Vodka tincture of Caucasian Dioscorea is quite easy to prepare. The crushed roots of the plant (100 g) pour 500 ml of vodka. Leave them in a dark, cool place for 10 days. Shake the tincture daily. After that, strain the composition and take it for heart diseases three times a day, 25 drops, half an hour after eating. As a rule, the course of treatment is a month, followed by a week break. Then, if necessary, treatment can be continued. A minimum of three courses is recommended.
Ointment for the treatment of atherosclerosis
Crushed Dioscorea root (100 g) pour 400 grams of interior pork fat (uns alted). Put the composition in a water bath for two hours, stirring it occasionally. After this, the product must be completely cooled at room temperature and put in the refrigerator. The ointment is rubbed into the affected areas of the legs before going to bed, starting with the fingers and moving up. Wrap them in a warm towel.
Decoctions
Pour the roots of the plant in crushed form in an enamel bowl with 250 ml of hot water and put in a water bath for half an hour. The remedy is infused for 45 minutes. After that, it is filtered, its volume is adjusted with boiled water tooriginal. 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 another way. For him, pour 10 grams of crushed raw materials with a glass of boiling water and put on a slow fire for 20 minutes. The decoction is infused for 4 hours. After that, it can be filtered. The remedy is taken in a quarter cup 6 times a day for cystitis, arthritis, gout, vegetative-vascular dystonia, allergies, and high cholesterol levels.
For the reproductive system
Traditional healers with the help of this plant successfully treat diseases caused by hormonal failure. Preparations based on Dioscorea stop the excessive synthesis of estrogens, having a beneficial effect on the body of patients suffering from endometriosis. In addition, such drugs help to preserve the developing fetus and support the general condition of the woman during pregnancy.
Means based on Dioscorea are used to treat osteoporosis, hypogonadism, menstrual disorders, pulling pains and cramps in the lower abdomen, inflammation of the fallopian tubes. Dioscorea prevents the development of fibroids in women, reduces the risk of cancer.
Tea
To make tea, you need to mix crushed dry raw materials with ordinary green tea leaves in a ratio of 1:2. This mixture is brewed like 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
Helps in the treatment of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract Dioscorea Caucasian. We have presented recipes for decoctions and infusions above. Preparations based on Dioscorea are effective in the treatment of gastritis, but only in the early stages, weakened gastrointestinal motility. To do this, in addition to decoctions, you can prepare a drink from the roots of Dioscorea, fennel, ginger, lemon balm, chamomile, mint in equal amounts. Raw materials are poured with boiling water. The drink is taken in 100 ml half an hour before meals.
Allergy Remedy
Pour 500 ml of vodka with 50 grams of raw materials and infuse the composition for a month, shaking the container daily. Then the infusion is filtered and taken 30 drops diluted in 50 ml of water. Depending on the severity and course of the disease, treatment will last from 4 months to a year.
Respiratory organs
Dioscorea can be used to treat pneumonia and bronchitis. The roots of the plant are used in the form of tea, to enhance the blood 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;
- itchy skin.
In this case, reduce the dosage or stop taking the medication.
Contraindications
When taking therapeutic agents, it is necessary to take into account the availablecontraindications. Dioscorea Caucasian should not be used to treat:
- pregnancy;
- during lactation;
- bradycardia;
- individual intolerance;
- hypotension (low blood pressure).
Despite the fact that the list of contraindications is small, consultation with a specialist is necessary before starting treatment.
It is important to strictly observe the indicated dosages, since their excess can cause an acceleration of contractions of the heart muscle, the appearance of edema.
Caucasian Dioscorea: 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 common, and tinnitus disappears. Most patients note the beneficial effect of this vine on the whole body: there is an amazing lightness and a surge of energy.
