A large climber with slender, smooth or sparsely spiny, striate, quadrangular branches. Leaves alternate, 8 to 20 cm long and 4 to 12 cm wide, variable in shape, glabrous, shining, apex acuminate or cuspidate, base usually rounded; Flowers greenish-white, borne on stalked, many-flowered umbels, 1 to 3 together; pedicels of both male and female flowers arising from an aggregation of numerous minute bracts, flower segments 6, usually reflexed. Fruit (capsule) spherical, pea-sized, smooth, green turning red when ripe.

Stimulates the cardiovascular system (aerial part)

Diosgenin (root and leaf)

Rheumatism, spermatorrhoea, dysentery and in venereal diseases (root). A decoction of the bulbous roots is used to promote healing of sores, swellings and abscesses. In Ayurvedic practice, the roots are used to treat diseases of the nervous system and urinary disorders.

Chandel et al., Biodiversity in Medicinal and Aromatic Plants in India.