Takara Bio Discovers Yam Variety Rich in Diosgenin.Tokyo, Japan, May 13, 2006 - (JCN JCN Japan Corporate News JCN Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience JCN Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing JCN Journal of Christian Nursing JCN Job Control Number JCN Journal of Child Neurology JCN joint communications network (US DoD) ) - Takara Bio announced on May 11 the results of its recent research on yams. The company has discovered that lesser yam (dioscorea esculenta Dioscorea esculenta is a yam species, but with a smaller corm than most other yams--closer in size to a potato or kumara. ) contains diosgenin Diosgenin is a steroid sapogenin which is isolated from the wild yam. The unmodified steroid has estrogenic activity and can reduce the level of serum cholesterol. It is present in Costus speciosus, Smilax menispermoidea, species of Paris, , a plant steroid, at the highest ratio. Diosgenin, which has a structure similar to dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA DHEA dehydroepiandrosterone. DHEA abbr. dehydroepiandrosterone DHEA, n dehydroepiandrosterone, a hormone precursor, exists naturally in yams. ), demonstrates tonic properties. It is considered that diosgenin may contribute to controlling hormone balance properly. Lesser yam, which originates from Thailand and Vietnam, has a strong viscosity and good taste. The company plans to proceed with research with a view to developing functional food from lesser yam. Details of the research will be presented at the 60th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Nutrition and Food Science, to be held in Shizuoka from May 18 to 20. Copyright [c] 2006 Japan Corporate News Network. All rights reserved. |
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