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HerbsElephant yam (Amorphophallus campanulatus), commonly known as Surana in Sanskrit is a tuberous stout herb (corm) belonging to the family Araceae. In Ayurveda, it is used in many disease conditions like Arsha (Piles), Pliha (splenic disorders), Gulma (lump), Shwasa (Bronchial Asthma) and Ashtila (Enlarged Prostate) etc.
Ayurvedic Actions
| Rasa (Taste) | Katu, Kashaya |
| Virya (Energy) | Heating |
| Vipak (Post-digestive effect) | Katu |
| Guna (Quality) | Ruksha, Tikshna, Laghu |
| Doshic Effect | Kapha Vata Shamaka |
Health Benefits
Piles
Haemorrhoids or Piles are dilated or swollen veins under the rectum around the anal opening.
Surana exhibits gastrokinetic* and anti-inflammatory actions.
The gastrokinetic effect implicates the therapeutic potential of the plant in the correction of constipation, gastroparesis, and other functional bowel disorders. So this gastrokinetic action improves the overall digestive health and peristalsis so that recurrence of haemorrhoids can be prevented.
Anti inflammatory properties of surana helps to manage inflammation of the inflamed veins of the anal canal.
*Gastrokinetic- is a type of drug which enhances gastrointestinal motility by increasing the frequency or strength of contractions, but without disrupting their rhythm.
Diabetes mellitus
It is widely recommended in the diet of diabetic patients because elephant foot yam vegetables have a low glycemic index, which indicates that it raises blood sugar slowly. Some of its constituents are also known to show insulin promoting action.
Weight Loss
High fibre content in the elephant yam is considered to be a slimming food. Yam promotes weight loss and also reduces cholesterol levels in the body. Elephant foot yam has a high content of omega 3 fatty acids. They help in increasing good cholesterol and lowering bad cholesterol.
Hormone balance
Elephant foot yam increases estrogen levels in women to maintain hormonal levels. It also helps in reducing the symptoms of Premenstrual syndrome. Along with other antioxidants, vitamin B6 also helps in relieving premenstrual syndrome including abdominal pain and cramps.
Dosage and side effects (only after consultation with an ayurvedic doctor)
Part used - tuber , Dosage - 2-6 gm
Sometimes the tuber can cause throat irritation - To reduce or prevent the irritation, the tuber should be cut and boiled in hot water After adding it with lime or tamarind.
