Effect:
anti-inflammatory, diuretic, antispasmodic, hormone-regulating, pain-relieving
Areas of application:
Menopause, when osteoporosis is imminent, painkillers during childbirth, menstrual cramps, for relaxation, rheumatism, digestive problems, colic, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, muscle cramps, inflammation, flatulence, irritable bowel syndrome, arthritis
Plant parts used:
root
Collection time:
-
To find:
In the tropics, America, Asia and Africa.
Ingredients:
Saponins, diosgenin, phytosterols, alkaloids
Miscellaneous:
☕ Tea: Pour 1/4 liter of boiling water over 2 teaspoons of dried yam and let it steep for 5 minutes. Drink 1/2 liter per day.
Wild Yam is a climbing plant and has inconspicuous yellow flowers. It became famous because the plant provided the raw material for the first birth control pills. In their homeland, yam is an important food and is eaten like potatoes.
Yam grows on a variable, twining vine with smooth stems. The alternate, heart-shaped leaves have pronounced veins that radiate from the stem. They stand in three whorls and are hairy on the underside. The vine produces separate male and female flowers from May to August. Striking three-winged fruits appear in autumn. The roots are tubers.