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What are the chemical composition of Wild Yam that can be toxic to rodents? 


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Wild yams contain various chemical components that can be toxic to rodents. These include alkaloids, oxalates, saponins, furanoid norditerpenes (diosbulbins A and B), and cyanogens. Alkaloids, oxalates, and saponins are present in high concentrations in uncooked wild yams, making them inedible, but cooking reduces these toxic principles, potentially making the yams suitable for consumption . Additionally, cyanide content in wild yams was found to be below safety limits set by FAO/WHO . While toxic alkaloids like dioscorine and histamine were not detected, the presence of oxalates in high levels could contribute to inflammation and occasional toxicity in wild yams . Various processing methods like soaking, cooking, and autoclaving have been shown to reduce the levels of antinutrients and toxic components in wild yams, making them safer for consumption .

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Wild yam tubers contain toxic principles like phenols, tannins, hydrogen cyanide, oxalate, amylase inhibitor, and trypsin inhibitor, which can be harmful to rodents.
Wild yam tubers in Nepal contain bitter furanoid norditerpenes (diosbulbins A and B) but lack toxic dioscorine and histamine. Cyanogens are present in safe levels, while oxalates may cause occasional toxicity.
Journal ArticleDOI
DA Sahoré, NG Amani, A Kamenan 
01 Jun 2006-Tropical Science
1 Citations
Wild yam tubers contain cyanide, alkaloids, sapogenins, oxalic acid, and tannins, which can be toxic to rodents. Cyanide content is below safety limits.
Tannin and phytic acid are the toxic components in wild yams for rodents. Soaking reduces but doesn't eliminate these toxins, making detoxification crucial for safe consumption by animals.
The chemical composition of Wild Yam that can be toxic to rodents includes alkaloids, oxalates, and saponins, present at high concentrations, making the yams inedible until cooked.

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