Abstract
In this study, a 40% ethanol extract of Chinese yam flour (Dioscoreae rhizoma), containing 177±58 μg/mL of dioscin, was tested in order to evaluate its pharmacological effects on the gastrointestinal tracts of Sprague-Dawley rats. Via the ingestion of the Chinese yam extract, the secretion of gastric acid was suppressed in the rats, and gastrointestinal motility increased by as much as 10%. The fecal quantity of rats fed on the Chinese yam extract also increased, by more than 40% as compared with that of the controls. The Chinese yam extract was found not to affect the growth of normal intestinal bacteria. However, a great deal of lactose-fermenting bacteria was observed in the fecal samples of rats fed for 6 weeks on 2% Chinese yam extract. This finding would appear to suggest that Chinese yam extract not only induces an improvement in digestive capability, but also affects the conversion of some intestinal flora to helpful bacteria. Our serochemical analyses indicated that serum glucose, neutral lipid, and total cholesterol levels were reduced to some degree by long-term feeding on Chinese yam extract. This finding bolsters the notion that Chinese yam extract may prove helpful as a digestion-aiding agent for patients suffering from hyperglycemia or hyperlipidemia.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Chen, H.-L., Wang, C.-H., Chang, C.-T., and Wang, T.-C., Effects of Taiwanese yam (Dioscorea japonica Thunb var.pseudojaponica Yamamoto) on upper gut function and lipid metabolism in Balb/c mice.Nutrition, 19, 646–651 (2003).
Choi, E. M., Koo, S. J., and Hwang, J.-K., Immune cell stimulating activity of mucopolysaccharide isolated from yam (Discorea batatas).J. Ethnopharmacol., 91, 1–6 (2004).
Dong, M., Feng, X., Wang, B., Wu, L., and Ikejima, T., Two novel furostanol saponins from the rhizomes ofDioscorea panthaica Prain et Burkill and their cytotoxic activity.Tetrahedron, 57, 501–506 (2001).
Gaidamashvili, M., Ohizumi, Y., Ijima, S., Takayama, T., Ogawa, T., and Muramoto, K., Characterization of the yam tuber storage proteins fromDioscorea batatas exhibiting unique lectin activities.J. Biol. Chem., 279, 26028–26035 (2004).
Hou, W.-C., Chen, H.-J., and Lin, Y.-H., Dioscorins, the major tuber storage proteins of yam (Discorea batatas Decne), with dehydroascorbate reductase and monodehydroascorbate reductase activities.Plant Sci., 149, 151–156 (1999).
Hou, W.-C., Lee, M.-H., Chen, H.-J., Liang, W.-L., Han, C.-H., Liu, Y.-W., and Lin, Y.-H., Antioxidant activities of dioscorins, the storage protein of yam (Dioscorea batatas Decne).J. Agric. Food. Chem., 49, 4956–4960 (2001).
Hu, K. and Yao, X., The cytotoxicity of methyl protodioscin against human cancer cell linesin vitro.Cancer Invest., 21, 389–393 (2003a).
Hu, K. and Yao, X., The cytotoxicity of methyl protoneogracillin (NSC-698793) and gracillin (NSC-698787), two steroidal saponins from the rhizomes ofDioscorea colletti varhypoglauca, against human cancer cellsin vitro.Phytother. Res., 17, 620–626 (2003b).
Kawasaki, T. and Yamauchi, T., Structures of prosapogenin-B and-A of dioscin and conccurrence of B with dioscin in the rhizoma ofDioscorea tokoro Makino.Chem. Pharm. Bull., 16, 1070–1075 (1968).
Kim, M.-J., Kim, H.-N., Kang, K.-S., Baek, N.-I., Kim, D.-K., Kim, Y.-S., Kim, S.-H., and Jean, B.-H., Methanol extract ofDioscorea Rhizoma inhibits pro-inflammatory cytokines and mediators in the synoviocytes of rheumatoid arthritis.Intern. Immunopharmacol., 4, 1489–1497 (2004).
Kwon, C.-S., Sohn, H.-Y., Kim, S.-H., Kim, J.-H., Son, K.-H., Lee, J.-S., Lim, J.-K., and Kim, J.-S., Anti-obesity effect ofDioscorea nipponica Makino with lipase-inhibitory activity in rodents.Biosci. Biotechnol. Biochem., 67, 1451–1456 (2003).
Liu, H. W., Wang, S. L., Cai, B., Qu, G. X., Yang, X. J., Kobayashi, H., and Yao, X. S., New furostanol glycosides from the rhizomes ofDioscorea futschauensis R. Kunth.J. Asian Nat. Prod. Res., 5, 241–247 (2003).
McAnuff, M. A., Harding, W. W., Omoruyi, F. O., Jacobs, H., Morrison, E. Y., and Asemota, H. N., Hypoglycemic effects of steroidal sapogenins isolated from Jamaican bitter yam,Disocorea polygonoides.Food Chem. Toxicol., 43, 1667–1672 (2005).
Nam, D. H., Son, K. H., Kim, J. Y., Kim, S. D., and Lim, S. K., Quantitative determination of dioscin fromDioscorea rhizoma.Kor. J. Pharmacogn., 37, 33–36 (2006).
Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China (English Ed.), Vol. 1, Chemical Industry Press, Beijing, China (1997).
Sautour, M., Mitaine-Offer, A.-C., Miyamoto, T., Wagner, H., and Lacaille-Dubois, M.-A., A new phenanthrene glycoside and other constituents fromDioscorea opposita.Chem. Pharm. Bull., 52, 1235–1237 (2004a).
Sautour, M., Mitaine-Offer, A. C., Miyamoto, T., Dongmo, A., and Lacaille-Dubois, M. A., A new steroidal saponin fromDioscorea cayenensis.Chem. Pharm. Bull., 52, 1353–1355 (2004b).
Yang, D. J., Lu, T. J., and Hwang, L. S., Isolation and identification of steroidal saponins in Taiwanese yam cultivar (Dioscorea pseudojaponica Yamamoto).J. Agric. Food Chem., 51, 6438–6444 (2003).
Yin, J., Tezuka, Y., Kouda, K., Tran, Q. L., Miyahara, T., Chen, Y., and Kadota, S., Antiosteoporotic activity of the water extract ofDioscorea spongiosa.Biol. Pharm. Bull., 27, 583–586 (2004).
Zhao, G., Kan, J., Li, Z., and Chen, Z., Structural features and immunological activity of a polysaccharide fromDioscorea opposita Thunb roots.Carbohyd. Polymers, 61, 125–131 (2005).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Jeon, J.R., Lee, J.S., Lee, C.H. et al. Effect of ethanol extract of dried Chinese yam (Dioscorea batatas) flour containing dioscin on gastrointestinal function in rat model. Arch Pharm Res 29, 348–353 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02968583
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02968583