Food and medicinal values of Dioscorea alata L

Abstract

Food and nutritional security are the major concerns in many countries of the world, and to address this concern, it's now time to transform food systems for food security, improved nutrition, and affordable healthy diets for all by searching for alternative foods. The underground edible tuber of Dioscorea alata L. (Dioscoreaceae) is a functional food with high nutritive value and therapeutic potential. It provides food and medicine to millions of people in the world, especially in the tropical and subtropical regions. It is one of the oldest tuber crops cultivated from wild in tropical regions around the world, and it is a staple food for many rural and tribal groups. D. alata tubers have a high medicinal and economic value. These tubers are used for the treatment of different diseases and are also used as tonics. They have diuretic, aphrodisiac, anthelmintic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-diabetic properties. Tubers contain various phytochemicals such as diosgenin, saponin, flavonoids, dioscorin and other important constituents. These chemicals have vast activities like anticancer, antimicrobial and effects on cardiac diseases as well as CNS. Further research should be carried out to utilize the bioactive compounds present in these tubers for the formulation of new drugs to fight against different diseases.

Full text

Chapter 7
Food and medicinal values of Dioscorea alata L.
Kaviraj M, Kirti Karmarkar Anand, Sheelpa Hindlekar, Aroma Lyngdoh,
Ilarani Pradhan and Sanjeet Kumar
Abstract: Food and nutritional security are the major concerns in many countries of
the world, and to address this concern, it’s now time to transform food systems for
food security, improved nutrition, and affordable healthy diets for all by searching for
alternative foods. The underground edible tuber of Dioscorea alata L. (Dioscoreaceae)
is a functional food with high nutritive value and therapeutic potential. It provides
food and medicine to millions of people in the world, especially in the tropical and
sub-tropical regions. It is one of the oldest tuber crops cultivated from wild in tropical regions
around the world, and it is a staple food for many rural and tribal groups. D. alata tubers have
a high medicinal and economic value. These tubers are used for the treatment of different
diseases and are also used as tonics. They have diuretic, aphrodisiac, anthelmintic,
anti-inflammatory, and anti-diabetic properties Tubers contain various
phytochemicals such as diosgenin, saponin, flavonoids, dioscorin and other important
constituents. These chemicals have vast activities like anticancer, antimicrobial and
effects on cardiac diseases as well as CNS. Further research should be carried out to
utilize the bioactive compounds present in these tubers for the formulation of new
drugs to fight against different diseases.
Keywords: Nutraceutical, Cultivation, Yam, Tuberous plants
M Kaviraj, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2810-7841
Centre for Advanced Studies in Botany, University of Madras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu
e-mail: kavirajm88@gmail.com
KK Anand, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6026-7538
Arbor Road Estate, Greenlife Blueprints LLP, Guntepally village, Telangana 502279
e-mail: kirti@arborestate.in
Hindlekar S, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4334-9096
Govt College of Arts,Science and Commerce,Quepem Goa, India
e-mail: phadtegaurisha@gmail.com
A Lyngdoh, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2891-8385
Department of Botany, Shillong College, Meghalaya
e-mail: aromalyngdoh@gmail.com
I Pradhan, ORCID: ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3964-8440
GIET University, Gunupur, Rayagada, Odisha, India
e-mail: pradhanilarani94@gmail.com
S Kumar ( ), ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9538-397X
Ambika Prasad Research Foundation, Odisha, India
e-mail: sanjeetaprf@gmail.com
© The author(s), under exclusive license to APRF, India
B. L. Manjula et al. (eds.), Yam, ISBN: 978-81-955847-5-8
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7088570
Introduction: Globally, levels of hunger are now at a critical juncture. According to the Global
Report on Food Crisis (GRFC) 2021, approximately 193 million people are suffering from

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acute food insecurity and are in need of urgent assistance across 53 countries. It clearly
indicates that the meaning of food security has changed as hunger and malnutrition are now
also larger underlying problems (Magdoff and Tokar 2009; Kwasek 2012). On the other hand,
global food security is an economic phenomenon and essence. In the Middle East and Africa,
the poorest spend about 50% of their income on food, which means that the increase in the
prices of major food products has an incredibly high impact on household spending
(Abdulkadyrovaa et al. 2016). The income levels of the population affect food demand at a
greater rate. More people should be able to afford adequate diets and should have access to
healthcare (Leathers and Foster 2016). Simultaneously in the last two years, we faced a
pandemic situation due to COVID-19, impacting the world’s economy, triggering an
unprecedented recession, and the food security and nutrition status of millions of people,
including children. We need appropriate immuno-boosting plants in our diet and thus a need to
cultivate them. It’s time now to transform food systems for food security, improved nutrition,
and affordable healthy diets for all. In these circumstances, tuberous plants are the best solution
in every aspect. They produce starchy roots, tuber, rhizomes, corms that play an important role
in nutrition and health. From the immortal time period, these starchy tubers have been a part
of the food choices in the human diet. Roots and tuber crops are also important cultivated staple
energy sources, followed by cereals, generally in tropical regions of the globe (Thompson and
Hirschi 2016; Chandrasekara and Kumar 2016).
Wild edible tuberous plants are important in the livelihood strategies of local or tribal
people and forest dwellers in many developing countries. There are a number of roots and
tubers belonging to several species which creates extensive biodiversity even within the same
geographical location. India is rich in the floral diversity of roots and tubers, which includes a
large number of wild relatives of cultivated tuber crops as well as many under-exploited tuber
crops known to the tribals (Kumar and Shiddamallayya 2014). Except for some common
potatoes, sweet potatoes, and cassava, other starchy tuber crops are yet to be fully explored for
their nutritional and health benefits for use in the human diet. Unexplored tuberous plants may
include yam species and aroids belonging to different botanical families but are grouped
together. In addition, variations in the growth pattern and adopting indigenous practices make
roots and tubers specific in production systems. However, roots and tuber crops are bulky in
nature with a high moisture content of 60–90%, leading them to be associated with high
transportation costs, short shelf life, and limited market margin in developing countries, even
where they are mainly cultivated (Chandrasekara and Kumar 2016). Some edible tubers are
used for traditional and alternative medicinal sources. Tubers and roots are potential
nutraceuticals to manage a number of ailments and ensure general wellness. Dioscorea, the
most primitive tuberous angiospermic genus of the family Dioscoreaceae, comprises about 650
to 682 species distributed across the world, with higher diversity in Southeast Asia, Africa,
Australia, and tropical America (Waris et al. 2021). The tuber crop members of this genus
constitute one of the major food items for many ethnic groups after cereals and are cultivated
or harvested from the wild in tropical regions throughout the world (Dutta 2015). Dioscorea
are either climbing herbs or shrubs with rhizomes and tubers, bear alternate leaves with
reticulate venation and possess unisexual flowers. Dioscorea shows a number of anatomical,
morphological, and embryological characters which are reminiscent of dicotyledons. The
nature of twinning and the occurrence of prickles in the plants are the key characteristics of the
genus, which can be used to distinguish and help to identify the species (Present study). The
occurrence of dicotyledonous characters like reticulate venation in leaves, simultaneous types

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of development in pollen grains, the arrangement of vascular bundles, and the presence of a
second rudimentary cotyledon in some species create confusion that yams are dicot. The genus
prefers a wet climate for flowering and fruiting, and in the dry season, tubers persist (Bouman
1995; Waris et al. 2021). Keeping the importance of Yam species, a study was carried out on
Dioscorea alata through literature and field surveys under several project works in India.
Dioscorea alata: It is commonly known as purple yam or greater yam. The tubers of D. alata
are irregular in shape and are usually violet-purple to bright lavender in color. Sometimes they
are also cream to plain white in colour. Tubers are large in size. Purple yam is available at the
edges or in the canopy gaps in moist deciduous as well as in evergreen forests of India. This
climber is native and widespread in Asia and Africa and it has a dormancy period of at least
two months, making this climber easy to transport. The greater yam has many medicinal and
pharmacological values along with nutritional value. It is a vigorous, perennial, climbing plant,
producing annual stems with tubers. These stems scramble over the ground, or twine into the
surrounding vegetation. Stem twining to right, 4-5-winged or angled, up to 10m long, glabrous,
wings sometimes reduced to ribs. Bulbils or aerial tubers globose, ovoid or obpyriform,
occasionally with rootlets up to 12 cm long. Leaves are opposite or the lower alternate, broadly
ovate or deltoid-ovate, base cordate or sub sagittate, apex acuminate, 12-13 cm long and 8-10
cm broad, primary veins 7. Petiole up to 9-10 cm. winged. Inflorescences glabrous. Flowers
1.5 mm long, deltoid-ovate, tepals widely ovate, obtuse, stamens 6, free, pistillode conical.
Female 1 per leaf-axil, up to 21–35 cm. long, perianth triangular-sub globose, ± 5 mm. across.
Ovary glabrous. Male ± 2 in the leaf-axils or forming axillary terminal panicles in the axils of
bracts, spreading, axis zigzag, with the sessile, staminodes 6, very small. Male ± 2 in the leaf-
axils or forming axillary terminal panicles in the axils of bracts, spreading, axis zigzag, with
the sessile flowers directed forwards and outwards, perianth sub globose, not opening widely,
±1.5 mm. across. Capsule 2-2.5 mm long, broadly obcordate. Tubers one to several, annual,
polymorphic, variously branched or lobed, normally cylindric, up to 6 cm. in diameter,
descending vertically (Saxena and Brahmam 1995; Plate 1).
Distribution in World: It is originated in South-East Asia with the widest global distribution
of all the yams and is found throughout the tropics. Apart from South-East Asia, it is widely
grown in the Caribbean, West Africa, and in Oceania. In South-East Asia, it is the most
important species and is grown in virtually all countries of the region, especially in Indonesia,
Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, and Vietnam. It is native to Bangladesh,
Bismarck Archipelago, Borneo, Cambodia, Christmas, East Himalaya, India, Jawa, Lesser
Sunda Island, Malaya, Myanmar, Nepal, New Guinea, Philippines, Sulawesi, Sumatra,
Thailand, Vietnam. Purple yam is introduced in regions like Alabama, Andaman Island,
Angola, Bahamas, Burundi, Cameroon, China South-Central, China Southeast, Colombia,
Ethiopia, Fiji, Florida, French Guiana, Honduras, Jamaica, Japan, Madagascar, Maldives, Peru,
Queensland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Togo, Venezuela, Zambia etc (https://www.ipni.org/).
Distribution in India: In India, greater yam is cultivated in the states of Andhra Pradesh,
Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, North Eastern states, Uttar Pradesh,
Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Maharashtra as a commercial crop (Patel et al. 2019; Rao et
al. 2019; Present study)
Food values: Worldwide, Dioscorea has been cultivated for its tubers, which are considered a
staple food in many regions. Tubers are primarily consumed for their carbohydrates in the form

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of dry matter and secondarily for protein, vitamins and other minerals. So, it is a crucial tuber
crop containing essential nutrition as an alternative food source. D. alata is a major component
of the diet in Africa, America and South-East Asia (Patel et al. 2019; Fauziah et al. 2020). The
tuber is eaten by baked, as a sweetened dessert, or as a vegetable. The fresh-cut tuber is also
edible and is used as a staple food in Taiwan. In Philippines, it is most common and used as an
ingredient in many desserts as well as to flavour some items. These tubers are used to cook
creamy soup in Vietnam. In many parts of India, tubers are fried to make chips (Wanasundera
and Ravindran 1994; Muimba-Kankolongo 2018; Present study). Water and fat content change,
especially in chips and flours of D. alata. In chips, fat increases by up to 2.314%, and water
goes down by 56.61%. In flour, there was a decrease in water up to 88.93%. The highest
phenolic compound in steamed D. alata is 265.49%, but there is a real difference between
processing within phenolic content in D. alata (Makiyah and Djati 2018).
Medicinal values: Dioscorea species are characterized by the presence of diosgenin, the basis
for anti-infertility drugs such as contraceptive pills and sex hormones, such as testosterone,
which are consumed by bodybuilders as supplements to increase their testosterone levels and
build muscle strength. The tuber of D. alata has the potential to treat a wide range of fatal
diseases and disorders. Tubers are used in various skin diseases, wounds, burns, etc. 2-3 g of
paste of the tuber is tied to the infected part of the body to treat cancerous wounds, leprosy,
gonorrhea, blood pressure, etc. Tubers are also used in gastrointestinal disorders,
cardiovascular system disorders, central nervous system disorders, disease of bones and joints
metabolic disorders, immune deficiency and autoimmune diseases, dysfunctional changes in
the female reproductive system, diarrhea, irritability, abdominal pain, and anemia. Besides it,
tubers are extensively used in the treatment of dysentery, piles, and chronic liver pain disease
(Dutta 2014; Makiyah and Djati 2018; Mustafa et al. 2018).
Pharmacological values: The tuber of D. alata is well known for its traditional therapeutic
uses as well as pharmacological values. It contains diosgenin which is a major aglycone of
steroid saponin acting as an intermediate steroid in the pharmaceutical industry. Steroid
saponin is the most important bioactive compound due to its several biological functions, such
as anticarcinogenic, antithrombotic, antiviral, hemolytic, hypocholesterolemia, hypoglycemic,
immunostimulatory, antitumorigenic, anti-mutagenic, immunomodulatory and anti-
inflammatory depending on its structure (Dey et al. 2016; Makiyah and Djati 2018). In Indian
traditional medicine, the tuber is extensively used as a diuretic, aphrodisiac, anthelmintic, anti-
inflammatory and anti-diabetic. Tuber is used as a tonic and health supplement in some states
of India (Maithili et al. 2011; Kumar et al. 2017). In Chinese traditional medicine, tuber is used
in the treatment of inflammatory diseases (Liu et al. 2012). D. alata was identified to have
antifungal activities on Botryodiploidia theobromae (Eleazu et al. 2013). Tuber mucilage of D.
alata stimulates antigen production and phagocytic activity. In addition, it enhances the
cytotoxic activity of splenocytes (Shang et al. 2007). A bioactive hydro-methanol fraction of
the tuber demonstrated stimulation of cell adhesion, phagocytic activity, plaque formation, and
hemagglutination properties on murine cells (Dey et al. 2014; Dey et al. 2016).
Economic values: The tubers of D. alata have high economic values due to their food,
medicinal and pharmacological values. It is commercially produced in Nigeria and other
countries, providing a livelihood for farmers. In the past few years, the growth in yam
cultivation has not matched the growing demand, leading to a shortage and thus a price rise in
Nigeria. As this climber continues to be cultivated in many parts of the world, infrastructure

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support is required to promote its production and sale. It becomes necessary to identify the
sources of the product and the relative importance of the channels through which consumer
satisfaction is met (Bekun 2017; Nwike et al. 2017; Plate 2). In many states of India, it is
cultivated for commercial purposes and can also be seen in rural and tribal markets (Plate 2).
Cultivation techniques: D. alata is cultivated widely in tropical areas for its edible tuber. The
plant is not self-fertile. It needs suitable light, climate, and soil for its proper growth. The most
common method of propagation is by using the tubers. The tubers are cut into small pieces
called sett and they must have dormant buds. The tip of the tuber is mostly preferred for
propagation. In tropical areas, the optimum temperature varies from 30-35°C with a great
combination of adequate moisture and this climber prefers the subtropical warm humid climate.
It requires well-drained sandy loam soil with pH ranges from 6-6.5. Greater yam comes to
harvest 8-9 months after planting, large-scale leaf yellowing and drying of leaves is an
indication that the yam is ready to harvest. The tubers are dug out without causing injury to
them. The tuber yield of this crop would be 30-35 ton/ha (Sawiphak et al. 2021; Pouya et al.
2022). Bulbils are also used for the propagation (Present study).
Value addition: Throughout the world, people are searching for future food to feed the
uncontrolled and growing population of the world. Tuberous plants provide food for a long
time and even in the modern era, they are the choice of researchers. D. alata, a tuberous plant,
is easy to propagate. It has a high concentration of starch and carbohydrates. Therefore, diverse
food products can be developed from it, thus encouraging entrepreneurship for its cultivation.
Conclusion: From the above discussion, it was found that D. alata is a potential climber and
provides food, medicine, and livelihood to millions of people in the world, especially in the
tropical and subtropical regions. It contributes about 10% of the total root and tuber production
around the world and is recognized as the fourth most important tuber crop after potatoes,
cassava, and sweet potatoes. D. alata plays a very crucial role in many aspects of the lives of
tribals. They tubers are dug for various uses, and it also helps during food scarcity periods. As
discussed above, the tubers are rich in many primary and secondary metabolites; hence further
research should be carried out to utilize the bioactive compounds present in the tubers for the
formulation of new drugs to fight against different diseases. Focus must be given on improving
D. alata as a food source, its cultivating, as well as establishing a logistics chain.
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Plate 1: Dioscorea alata in home garden

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Plate 2: Dioscorea alata tubers in a local market