Wild Yam Root Powder

Wild yam (Dioscorea villosa) is a woodland vine native to North America. Although some yams in the Dioscorea genus are edible, wild yam rhizomes have an unpalatable, bitter taste and are primarily valued for their medicinal properties.

Considered antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory, wild yam root is typically used in herbal medicine to relieve menstrual or gastrointestinal cramping, reduce flares in inflammatory bowel disease and treat all types of arthritis. Wild yam root is also, famously, the original source of diosgenin, the substance used to synthesize human steroid hormones for oral contraceptives and corticosteroids. Although historically significant, diosgenin from wild yam is unlikely to be converted into human steroids in the body.

Wild yam root is typically prepared as a decoction or tincture, often as part of a multi-herb formula. The powdered root may also be used for capsules and is popular in poultices, oils, and anti-aging skin creams.