Yucca

Adam's Needle; Bear Grass; Dagger Plant; Joshua Tree; Mohave Yucca; Our-Lord's-Candle; Soapweed; Spanish Bayonet; Yucca species

... Although no well-controlled human studies have been conducted to verify them, a few animal studies and case reports suggest a limited role for oral yucca in treating both cardiovascular and high cholesterol levels. First, yucca contains a proven antioxidant, a chemical known as resveratrol. Antioxidants are thought to protect body cells from damage caused by a chemical process called oxidation. Oxygen free radicals, natural chemicals produced by oxidation, are known to be involved in the development of several conditions including heart diseases. By limiting oxidation, resveratrol and other antioxidants may help prevent damage to blood vessels and other changes that may contribute to the development of heart disease. In addition, yucca contains a high percentage of saponins, chemicals that dissolve in both water and oil. In the stomach and intestines, some saponins may fasten onto cholesterol particles in the blood, thereby preventing cholesterol absorption by the body and promoting its elimination. Although saponins from yucca have not been studied specifically, saponins from other plant sources also attach to bile, effectively removing it from circulation. The body then has to use some dietary or stored cholesterol to make more bile, further reducing the amount of cholesterol that stays in the blood. ...

?Our Lord's Candle Scientific classification Kingdom: Plantae ...