Dioscorea composita
| Dioscorea composita | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Dioscoreales |
| Family: | Dioscoreaceae |
| Genus: | Dioscorea |
| Species: | D. composita
|
| Binomial name | |
| Dioscorea composita | |
Dioscorea composita, or barbasco, is a species of
Russell Marker developed the extraction and manufacture of hormones from D. mexicana at Syntex, starting the trade of D. composita in Mexico. Marker also discovered that the composita variety had a much higher content of diosgenin than the mexicana variety, and therefore it came to replace the latter in the production of synthetic hormones.[2]
Chemical constituents
Steroidal sapogenin, diosgenin.[3]
Medicinal use
It is a source of
hormones such as progesterone and cortisone. Diosgenin extracted from Dioscorea composita was instrumental in the development of the combined oral contraceptive pill in the 1960s – and also for the development of cortisone treatments of arthritis. Studies on Diosgenin say that it has effect on diabetic neuropathy.[4]
Before becoming used industrially the tuber was used by
K'iche maya.[5]
References
- ^ "Dioscorea composita". Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
- ^ "AmericanHeritage.com / THE STORY OF THE PILL". Archived from the original on 2010-09-25. Retrieved 2012-04-30.
- ^ Indian herbal pharmacopia Vol.II.
- ^ Biol Pharm Bull. 2011;34(9):1493-8.Kang TH, Moon E, Hong BN, Choi SZ, Son M, Park JH, Kim SY.
- ^ Soto Laveaga, Gabriela (2009). Jungle Laboratories: MExican peasants, National Projects and the Making of the Pill. Duke University. pp. 72–73.