(used for abdominal pains). Bark and leaves—astringent.
The sepals contain (on dry weight basis): tannin 0.37, glucose 2.92 and malic acid 0.51%. The bark and leaves contain about 10% and 9% tannin (on dry weight basis) respectively.
The fruit yielded a polysaccharide, arabingalactan.
The leaves yielded cycloartenone, n-hentriacontanol, betulin, betulinic acid and beta-sitosterol. The bark gave iso-rhamnetin, naringenin, quercetin derivatives and kaempferol.
Dillenia pentagyna Roxb.
Family Dilleniaceae.
Habitat The Himalayan terai from Punjab to Assam, and South India and the Andamans.
Folk Dillenia. Agai (Bihar), Agachi (Maharashtra).
Action See D. indica.
Not used as a herbal drug.
The bark contains 6% tannin.
Dioscorea bulbifera Linn. 215
Dioscorea alata Linn.
Synonym D. atropurpurea Roxb.
D. globosa Roxb.
D. purpurea Roxb.
Family Dioscoreaceae.
Habitat Native to East Asia; cultivated in Assam, Vadodara, Tamil Nadu, Bengal and Madhya Pradesh.
English Wild Yam, Greater Yam, Asiatic Yam.
Ayurvedic Kaashthaaluka. Aaluka (var.). Aalukas (yams) of Ayurvedic texts, belong to Dioscorea spp.
Siddha/Tamil Perumvalli kizhangu. Folk Kathaalu.
Action Even the best among the cultivated yams causes irritation in the throat or a feeling of discomfort when eaten raw. Wild yams—cholagogue, antispasmodic, anti- inflammatory, antirheumatic, diuretic. Also used for painful periods, cramps and muscle tension.
Key application Dioscorea villosa L., Wild Yam—as spasmolytic, anti-inflammatory. (The British
