[6] Sarsaparilla is a perennial woody climber with tendrils, thin branches and extended ovate leaves that grows about 4 to 5 meters vertically.

[8][9][11] The berries are produced in the fall or in the late summer[9] and stays intact through the winter for animals and birds to eat.

[17] Sarsaparilla is native to the Mesoamerica region, especially in Belize, El Salvador and Guatemala.

[17] In North America, sarsaparilla originates in Southern Mexico, being found primarily in the states of Tabasco, Veracruz, Yucatán,[17] Nuevo León, Puebla, Oaxaca, and Quintana Roo.

[16] In El Salvador, sarsaparilla is located in Hacienda San José, Santa Ana.

[16] Its roots are extracted to be used in flavoring beverages, dairy desserts, baked goods and candies.

[18] However, no definite scientific evidence is given to the medicinal effects of sarsaparilla and in excessive doses, it can be harmful.

[6] Main chemicals of sarsaparilla are acetyl-parigenin, astilbin, beta-sitosterol, caffeoyl-shikimic acids, dihydroquercetin, diosgenin, engeletin, essential oils, epsilon-sitosterol, eucryphin, eurryphin, ferulic acid, glucopyranosides, isoastilbin, isoengetitin, kaempferol, parigenin, parillin, pollinastanol, resveratrol, rhamnose, saponin, sarasaponin, sarsaparilloside, sarsaponin, sarsasapogenin, shikimic acid, sitosterol-d-glucoside, smilagenin, smilasaponin, smilax saponins A-C, smiglaside A-E, smitilbin, stigmasterol, taxifolin, and titogenin.