evidence: Potential medicinal uses for wild yam include the treatment of menopause symptoms, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, and muscular cramps. Wild yam is a plant that people have used for centuries in alternative medicine. There are various other names for wild yam, such as colic root, devil’s bones, rheumatism root, or China root. While there are over 600 species of wild yam, only 12 are edible. [...] Wild yam is a natural substance, but this does not mean it is free from side effects. In small doses, wild yam is considered safe for most people. However, large amounts of wild yam can lead to side effects, including: