Morphological information

Perennial, climbing herb having horizontal rhizome near the surface chestnut brown outside with rectangular cracks. Stems unarmed, twinning to the left. Leaves alternate, ovate- lanceolate. Flowers in spike, male flowers 1- 3 in long spike female flower 1- 3 in long spike. Female flowers on pendant spike capsules 4- 6, wings broadly rounded. Seeds usually winged all round but sometime only one side light yellowish- brown coloured at maturity.

Flowering                       : May-July

Fruiting                          :

History                          :

Parts                             : Tubers.

Status                           : Endangered

Phytochemistry

Trioside and tetraoside (I) of furostanol type, diosgenin and their acetates isolated from rhizomes and their structures determined (I ZV. Akad. Nauk SSST. Ser Khim 1975, 90; Chem. Abstr 1975, 82, 156636 r).Two new compounds- 4- hydroxy- 2- (Trans 3', 7 methylocta  2’ 6' -dienyl)- 6- methoxy- acetophenone (I) and 4, 6- dihydroxy- 2- O (4- hydroxybutyl) acetophenone (II) -  isolated and characterized ( Phytochemistry 1989, 28, 947).

Agrocultivation       : The plant can be propagated by seeds, rihizome pieces or stem cuttings.

Medicinal                

Diosgenin a steroid is considered suitable for the manufacture of oral contraceptives and the sex hormones.Certicateroids in the form of cortisones and hydrocortisone's are used for the treatment of rheumatism, rheumatic fevers, arthritis and other collagen disease of skin, eye and the ear.Both male and female sex hormones are synthesized from diosgenin. The male hormone testosterone and its derivatives are used to correct the male hormonal deficiency, especially in certain cases of impotency. These are also used for the treatment of breast cancer and menopause and various forms of uterine bleeding. Testosterone is inactive orally so it is converted into various derivatives. The main female sex hormones are estrogens and progesterone. Estrogen is used to suppress symptoms of natural or surgical menopause, local a tropic changes in the adult vagina and vulva, gonorrheal vaginitis. It is also used in cosmetic lotions and creams to improve tone and colour of the skin in women. Progesterone is mainly used as antifertility agent in the form of oral contraceptive.