*2.4.4 Dioscorea dumetorum*

The tuber is commonly referred to as cluster yam, bitter yam or trifoliate yam. It is called *"ona*" by the Igbos of Southeast Nigeria and 'esuru' by the Yorubas in Southern Nigeria [42, 47]. The tuber contains fleshy edible part having a yellowish or whitish color which can be boiled and eaten as snacks. Extract from the tubers can be used for the treatment of *diabetes mellitus* in traditional medicine [48, 49]. It has been reported that the tuber is rich in fiber and contains an alkaloid, dioscorentine, which possesses hypoglycemic activity [50, 51]. It is fairly high in protein and possesses a well balanced amino acid profile, making it the most nutritious of the commonly consumed yam species. It has been established that trifoliate yam contain 15–38% starch on wet weight basis and 70–80% dry weight basis [52].
