WILD YAM Dioscorea villosa L - Frostburg State University

7. Summary – some possibilities moving forward
A significant body of experimental data relating to the biological effects of diosgenin has
been acquired over the last 60-70 years, much of which is not specific to D. villosa. While
these findings may help validate some traditional uses associated with the species,
comprehensive investigations into the activity of D. villosa extracts via the oral route are
long overdue. Further safety data is required to pave the way for future clinical studies.
Clinical investigators would be well served to include one or more certified herbal
practitioners in their research teams. This would help direct the focus away from trendy
products such as the “natural progesterone” creams towards specific clinical applications, as
expounded in the Traditional Use and Modern Phytotherapy sections of this monograph.
8. References.
AHPA (2007) Tonnage Survey of select North American Wild-Harvested plants 2004-2005
American Herbal Products Association. Accessed online at
http://www.ahpa.org/Portals/0/members/04-05_AHPATonnageReport.pdf
Albrecht, M.A. (2006). Reproductive biology of medicinal woodland herbs indigenous to the
Appalachians. PhD Thesis. College of Arts and Sciences of Ohio University. Accessed
online at http://etd.ohiolink.edu/view.cgi/Albrecht%20Matthew.pdf?ohiou1163427974.
June 1 st , 2011
Alcantara, E. H., Shin, M.-Y., Sohn, H.-Y., Park, Y.-M., Kim, T., Lim, J.-H., Jeong, H.-J., et al.
(n.d.). Diosgenin stimulates osteogenic activity by increasing bone matrix protein
synthesis and bone-specific transcription factor Runx2 in osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells.
The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, In Press, Corrected Proof.
Aradhana, Rao, A. R., & Kale, R. K. (1992). Diosgenin--a growth stimulator of mammary gland
of ovariectomized mouse. Indian Journal of Experimental Biology, 30(5), 367-70.
Atkinson, T. (n.d. ) Dioscorea villosa, wild yam - 5 (4). North American Native Plant Society.
http://www.nanps.org/index.php/resources/native-plants-to-know/122-dioscorea-villosawild-yam-5-4
Bartlett, H. (1910) The source of the drug Dioscorea, with a consideration of the Dioscoeae
found in the United States. Bureau of Plant Industry Bulletin, 189. Washington, DC:
Government Printing Office.
Braun, L. & Cohen, M. (2010). Herbs and natural supplements. Sydney: Churchill Livingstone.
British Herbal Medicine Association (1983). British herbal pharmacopoeia. Bournemouth U.K.:
B.H.M.A.
British Herbal medicine Association. (2006). British Herbal Compendium, v.2: A handbook of
scientific information on widely used plant drugs. P.R. Bradley (Ed.). Bournemouth, UK:
British Herbal Medicine Association.
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