Prof.

Gilbert Ezengige
This yam type treats goiter, sexually
transmitted infections, pains, tumors, skin
cancers, diabetes and more

One sunny afternoon, approximately 30 years ago,

“Amalu-iwu-aku” my paternal grandmother of blessed
memory fondly called “Ee-Eee” drew my attention to a
plant. Actually it was a yam specie known as ‘Adu’ in
Igbo, ‘Isu-emina’ and ‘Dooyar bisa’ in Yoruba and Hausa
languages respectively. Botanically it is called Dioscorea
bulbifera.
She told me that it was the best medicine for whitlow. I
remember politely asking her how she came about her
information. She smiled and said, “My son, ‘ ndi-mmuo‘
(spirits) taught me this and I have not failed a case of
whitlow applying this remedy”.
I looked at her in bewilderment but somehow, I was
convinced of her assertion because I had witnessed 3 or 4
women suffering from whitlow cured and freed from pain
after grandmother applied fresh poultices from a
substance which I didn’t know then was ‘adu’ around
their infected fingers.
There and then, grandma was revealing her long-held
secret to me almost in a hush voice.
I was satisfied, however, the idea of ‘spirits’ tutoring her
or being responsible for her healing feats left me a bit
confused and unsettled. There were many such
encounters with her those days; any healing recipe she
handed to me, she asserted that flesh and blood didn’t
teach her but “ndi-mmuo” did.
Now I know better; “the Lord gives it to his own people in
their dreams ”. The apparent mystery is now solved. I was
simply interacting with a gifted woman.
With my current knowledge of herbal medicine, I am
thrilled each time I run through the medicinal actions of
“Adu” (Dioscorea bulbifera) and discover among other
health benefits that it is indicated also for whitlow as
grandma told me.
The anti-inflammatory, antitumor, antimicrobial
and analgesic properties of ‘Adu’ have been
scientifically studied and established.
You see what I mean? The “illiterate” may not know the
science of pharmacognosy or pharmacology but they,
most times, know and have the facts about healing
plants.
In his work titled; A Textbook of Medicinal Plants from
Nigeria, Tolu Odugbemi noted that ‘adu’ has mystic
properties and is also utilized as/or for diarrhea,
dysentery, constipation, anthelmintics, antidote for snake
and scorpion venom, coughs, mental problems, diabetes,
weak erection, breast enlargement, fever, rheumatism
and antimicrobials.
Waoh, what a mouthful!
Let’s explore few other medicinal benefits of ‘Adu’.
1.Treatment of goiter
Tubers of D. bulbifera are steeped in white wine for a
week which is traditionally recommended as infused wine
and taken daily to get benefits in TREATMENT OF GOITRE.
Formulations have profound applications as clinical
medicine to treat thyroid gland (Sougata Ghosh etal,
2015).
2.Excellent for dermal (skin) conditions
“In particular they are used externally, usually as a
poultice, to treat wounds, sores, boils and inflammations;
in dressings for treating dermal parasitic and fungal
infections; or crushed, mixed with palm oil, and
massaged onto areas of rheumatism, and for troubles of
the breasts and for jiggers.” (Plants for a future)
3.Bacterial and fungal infections
D. bulbifera is known to be used for treatment of sexually
transmitted diseases like gonorrhea and syphilis in
addition to sore throat in Chinese medicine. In Congo it is
used against parasitic and fungal infections. Its aqueous
extract showed superior activity against Escherichia
coli while ethanol extract was found to be potent
against Staphylococcus aureus and Candida
albicans (Sougata Ghosh etal, 2015).
4.Protects the stomach (Gastroprotective
properties)
Dioscorea bulbifera extracts have been proven to show
gastroprotective function. (Research Journal of Pharmacy
and Technology, 2015)
5.Inflammation and pain
D. bulbifera is used to treat inflammation- associated
dispersal of “lumps”, hernia, sprain, injury, testicular
inflammations in China. Rheumatic pain and breast
problems are relived in Congo and Gabon respectively by
an ointment prepared by incorporation of bulbils into
palm oil. It is also used as analgesic and antispasmodic.
Vanillic acid and isovanillic acid present in D. bulbifera are
reported to exhibit anti-inflammatory activity (Sougata
Ghosh etal, 2015).
Let’s stop at this point. What are the lessons for us?
1.Africans need to go back to the basics even in matters
of dietetics.
2. Our genetic makeup (built over thousands of years) is
molded from foods which most modern day Africans
detest for no just cause.
3. With that nutritional disconnect, modern diseases
take their toll in our bodies.
4.This calls for a rethink and so urgently for that matter, if
we must talk of real good health in the nearest future.
Please note that herbal and nutritional medicines are
best administered by trained health care providers.

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