Dioscorea caucasus: description and properties

The Caucasian dioscorea is a herbaceous perennial liana. It has horizontally growing and slightly ramified rhizomes. On the main shoot, forming the main axis, the remaining shoots grow (in natural conditions only 1-2 for the whole year). Sleeping buds and the base of the stems are located in the upper part of the rhizome. The number of their groups makes it possible to determine the age of dioscorea. The location of the petiolate leaves of the ovoid form varies: below is a whorled, and at the top - the next one. Flowers - both male and female - are yellow-green in color, located in axillary ears. The fruit looks like a bare box with three wings, and it ripens in September. The plant blooms from May to July.

Dioscorea caucasus: the range

The plant occupies a very small area. The area of Dioscorea is limited to the western Transcaucasia: from the Mzymta basin it stretches to the Kodori River in the southeast. In the north, the boundaries of the range go along the spurs of the Caucasian ridge. There, dioscorea occurs at a height of one and a half kilometers above sea level. Once the range of the plant stretched to the Black Sea. But now only its separate locations are known there. Thus, the modern area of Dioscorean has turned out to be very elongated. At a width of 20 km. Its length is 200 km.

Dioscorea caucasus: ecology

The highest point on which the plant was found was 1.6 km above sea level. Dioscorea is characterized by its confinement to the southern slopes. From the eastern and western sides, it grows only in well-lit places. On the northern slope of the dioscorea, if it does, it never gives fruit. Despite the fact that the plant tolerates a slight shading, it can not be found in evergreen forests. In natural conditions, the dioscore begins to throw out shoots in April, in May or early June it is already blooming, and in September yields fruits.

Caucasian Dioscorea: Procession

Procurement is carried out only in the spring or in the autumn, when the fruits will ripen. In the dug roots, dioscoreans separate the decayed parts and those that towered above the ground, shaking the earth. Then they are cut into small pieces and dried in attics. It is impossible to dig up absolutely all the rhizomes, since in the natural environment the dioscorea resumes very slowly. To its thickets after harvesting completely restored, it takes 15 or even 20 years.

Dioscorean Caucasian root: use

In medical practice, the drug diosponin is used. It contains not less than 30% of the Caucasian dioscorea saponins soluble in water. Taking diosponin helps reduce the cholesterol in the blood, lowers blood pressure. He is also prescribed for the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis (especially if it is combined with hypertension), cardiosclerosis. With cholelithiasis, with relapses of jaundice appoint cholelitin, which includes the infusion of fresh roots of the plant. There is evidence that in the treatment of neglected gastritis, too, the Caucasian dioscorea is effective. The testimonies of patients who used diosponin in treatment, indicate its ability to rapidly reduce cholesterol without creating side effects. Important is the lack of contraindications to the use of drugs based on dioscorea.