Wild yam is a perennial vine that occurs naturally in the eastern US. The plant is harvested in the fall for its woody, twisted rhizome, which is dried and ground into a powder.
Also known as colic root and rheumatism root, wild yam has a long history of use by women for various gynecological complaints. Although the root contains diosgenin, a precursor to progesterone, the synthesis of the latter takes place in a lab not in the human body. However, wild yam root contains other active compounds that are responsible for its effects, such as beta carotene and phytosterols.
