African Journal of
Biotechnology

  • Abbreviation: Afr. J. Biotechnol.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1684-5315
  • DOI: 10.5897/AJB
  • Start Year: 2002
  • Published Articles: 12480

Short Communication

Evaluation of phytonutrients and vitamin contents in a wild yam, Dioscorea belophylla (Prain) Haines

Poornima G.N. and Ravishankar Rai V.*
Department of Studies in Applied Botany and Biotechnology, University of Mysore, Manasagagotri   Mysore-570006 India.
Email: [email protected]

  •  Accepted: 16 December 2008
  •  Published: 20 March 2009

Abstract

 

The species studied was found to contain bioactive compounds comprising saponins (18.46 mg 100-1 g), alkaloids (0.68 mg 100-1 g), flavonoids (8.84 mg 100-1g), tannins (4.2×102 mg 100-1 g) and phenols (2.8×103 mg 100-1 g). This yam contained vitamins such as ascorbic acid, riboflavin and thiamin. The importance of these chemical constituents is discussed with respect to the role of this Dioscoreaspecies in herbal medicine.

 

Key words: Bioactive compounds, Dioscorea, herbal medicine, saponin, vitamins.

Copyright © 2024 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article.

This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0

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