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Dioscorea

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Essentials of Medicinal and Aromatic Crops

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Abstract

Dioscorea, wild yam or yam plants are member of the family Dioscoreaceae and genus Dioscorea. This genus has a variety of over 600 species of flowering plants. Its nutritive material is stored in tubers (single or more) of variable shapes and colours. This genus is from the division Monocotyledon with more than 350 species. An herb that may be annual or perennial surviving in the form of (climber/trailer) vines. It is a diverse genus with a variety of species blessed with metabolites with nutritive and medicinal value. Its nutritive metabolites include carbohydrates, protein, fats, dietary fibre. vitamin C. potassium. calcium, iron, thiamine (vitamin B1). riboflavin (vitamin B2), niacin (vitamin B3), vitamin B6, folate, magnesium, phosphorus, and Zinc. However, inspite of rich in nutritional and medicinal metabolite, the use of Dioscorea species as replacement of traditional medical treatment may not be adopted without the advice of a healthcare professional. Medicinal properties and nutritive potential of Dioscorea species consist of a wide range. This chapter aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of different Dioscorea species, their nutritional composition, and associated therapeutic properties. By presenting a thorough overview, a better understanding may be developed about the potential health benefits that these species could offer to the community in a sustainable manner.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Botany, Government College University Faisalabad, Faisalabad, Pakistan

    Muhammad Zulqurnain Haider, Asia Shaheen, Saqib Mahmood & Hira Rafique

  2. Department of Nutritional Sciences, Government College University Faisalabad, Faisalabad, Pakistan

    Aisha Tariq

  3. Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Government College University Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan

    Umar Farooq Gohar

Authors
  1. Muhammad Zulqurnain Haider
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  2. Asia Shaheen
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  3. Saqib Mahmood
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  4. Aisha Tariq
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  5. Hira Rafique
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  6. Umar Farooq Gohar
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Saqib Mahmood .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Office of Research, Innovation and Commercialization, University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore, Pakistan

    Muhammad Zia-Ul-Haq

  2. Department of Biology, College of Science, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

    Arwa Abdulkreem AL-Huqail

  3. Department of Pharmacy, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University, Sheringal Dir Upper, Pakistan

    Muhammad Riaz

  4. Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Government College University, Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan

    Umar Farooq Gohar

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Haider, M.Z., Shaheen, A., Mahmood, S., Tariq, A., Rafique, H., Gohar, U.F. (2023). Dioscorea. In: Zia-Ul-Haq, M., Abdulkreem AL-Huqail, A., Riaz, M., Farooq Gohar, U. (eds) Essentials of Medicinal and Aromatic Crops. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-35403-8_46

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