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Tubers of wildDioscoreaspecies (yam) are used as low cost materials for synthesis of steroids; cortisone and progesterone using theMarker Degradationchemical route. Decoctions from yam leaves and tubers are also used in ethnomedicine for regulating women’s fertility, alleviating painful periods and menopausal symptoms. It is now known that yam tuber extracts reduce and inhibit proliferative action of breast cancer cells and reverse cardiovascular diseases.Due to current urgent needs and global interest in plants’ biodiversity advancement and drug discovery importance;Dioscorea compositaandDioscorea floribundashoots were studied with Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) to detect anatomical types of trichomes’ compared to essential oil production as integrated in the ontogeny of the studied shoots and hydro-distilled oils from the same organs were characterised with Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS).The SEM study revealed presence of oil glands, the capitate type on the epidermal layers of parts studied which GC/MS analysis further revealed the components of the oils on the leaves to be α-farnesene, Citronellyl acetate, α-terpinene, Elemol, Nerolidol, Farnesol and Valerenyl acetate. This is the first time these phytocompounds are reported in the species. In this light, microscopical methods supported by chromatography contribute to rapid identification of novel lead compounds contributing to important drug discovery. |
