Scientific name: Asparagus racemosus
Common names: Shatavari, Shatawar
Ayurvedic names: Satavari, Satamuli
Chinese names: Chang ci tian men dong
Bangladesh names: Satamuli, Satamul
Arabic names: نبات الهليون (nabaatu’lhilioon)
Rain Forest names:
Family: Asparagaceae
Approximate number of species known:
Common parts used: Root
Collection:
Annual/Perennial: Perennial
Height: 3-6 feet
Actions: It is useful in nervous disorders, dyspepsia, and tumors, scalding of urine, throat infections, tuberculosis, cough bronchitis and general debility.
Known Constituents: Vitamins A, B1, B2, C, E, Mg, P, Ca, Fe, and Folic acid. Other primary chemical constituents of Asparagus are essential oils, asparagine, arginine, tyrosine, flavonoids (kaempferol, quercetin, and rutin), resin, and tannin.
Constituents Explained:
Description:
Asparagus grows in central and southern Europe, the Middle East, western Siberia, and northern Africa.
It is cultivated worldwide, often found in home gardens but grows best in well-drained sandy soil.
Main plant is slender-stemmed.
Leaves are delicate, needle-like with long fronds.
Flowers are bell-shaped, yellow-green, producing small bright red berries.
Known mainly as a vegetable resembling long spears, it is the root that is used medicinally and unearthed after the shoots have been cut.
Traditional Use:
In Chinese medicine, the root is used to treat irritable coughs, coughing with blood, dry mouth and throat, and constipation. The root is also used for non-specific inflammatory diseases of the urinary tract and for prevention of kidney and bladder stones.
Its strong diuretic effect helps to hasten the flushing of waste products that accumulate in the joints, thus alleviating arthritis and rheumatism, liver disease, bronchial asthma, gout and dropsy.
Asparagus is used in India as a best-known and most-often used herb for women.
Used internally for infertility, loss of libido, threatened miscarriage, menopausal problems. It both nourishes and cleanses the blood and the female reproductive organs. It is a good food for menopause or for those who have had surgical removal of the uterus, as it supplies many female hormones. It nourishes the ovum and increases fertility. This herb is known to increase Sattva, or positivity and healing power. It also enhances the feelings of spiritual love, and increases Ojas.
Shatavari treats PMS symptoms by relieving pain and controlling blood loss during menstruation.
It supports normal production of breast milk for nursing mothers as well..and supports the normal function of the immune and digestive system.
The male reproductive system will also benefit from Shatavari. It may be used in cases of sexual debility, impotence, spermatorrhea, and inflammation of sexual organs.
Useful for hyper-acidity, stomach ulcers, dysentery, and bronchial infections.
Clinical Studies:
A study conducted to obtain information on the content of co-active compounds of a food supplement recommended as a weight reduction diet and on its short-term effectiveness and safety as a starter for lifestyle change.
Eighty participants completed the protocol. The Sambucus nigra L. berry juice enriched with flower extract and tablets containing berry powder and flower extract provided a total of 1 mg anthocyanins, 370 mg flavonol glycosides and 150 mg hydroxycinnamates per day; the Asparagus officinalis L. powder tablets provided 19 mg saponins per day.
After the diet, the mean weight, blood pressure, physical and emotional well-being and the quality of life had significantly improved. The effectiveness and tolerability of the regimen were rated as very good or good by most of the completers. It remains to be established if any particular compounds contribute to the efficacy of the diet.
Another study tested the in vitro anticandidal activity of Asparagus racemosus roots and tubers extract was investigated against Candida albicans, Candida tropicalis, Candida krusei, Candida guillermondii, Candida parapsilosis and Candida stellatoida, which are isolated from vaginal thrush patients.
The extract of Asparagus racemosus showed high degree of activity against all the Candida strains. The inhibitory effect of the extract against all the Candida tested was found comparable with that of standard antibiotics used.
References:
Chrubasik C, Maier T, Dawid C, Torda T, Schieber A, Hoffman T, Churbasik S. “An Obsevational Study And Quantification Of The Actives In The Supplements With Sumbucus Nigra And Asparagus Officinalis Used For Weight Reduction.” 2008 July. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18350516
Uma B, Prabharak K, Rajendran S. “Anticandidal Activity Of Asparagus Racemosus.” 2009 May. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20490311
Source material:
Asparagus
Other names: satavari, satamuli
Latin name: Asparagus racemosus
Family: Asparagaceae
Common part used: root
Asparagus is widely cultivated as a vegetable in numerous countries, though originally this plant is from most of the European parts, northern Africa and western Asia.
It is a perennial herbaceous plant, about one hundred to one hundred and fifty centimeters high, with a brunched greenery and stout stems. It requires well-drained, mostly sandy soils. The leaves can be considered absent, those little needle-like formations are in fact modified stems.
The flowers are shaped like bells, they are yellowish or greenish-white in colour, about five millimeters long. They grow singly or grouped by two to three. Typically the male and female flowers grow on different plants, but sometimes hermaphrodite ones occur as well. The fruit is a berry, red in color and small in size.
The Asparagus pants are widely used by health care professionals and herbal socialists in order to treat the illnesses connected with stomach, lungs, kidneys and reproductive organs.
It is also highly beneficial for women’s health, especially in the critical periods like PMS and menopause. It also helps to increase lactation, to stimulate the sex drive and to treat infertility.
Asparagus is also famous for its antiallergic and antioxidant properties and it is highly recommended in case of inflammations.
Asparagus is used not only as a herb: western medicine appreciates its qualities and potential, which is why pharmaceutical companies use it as a component for different medicines. They are prescribed for high fevers, dysentery, herpes, stomach ulcers and even dehydration.
This plant is also attractive as a food product; it’s a perfect component of a healthy diet. Asparagus does not contain cholesterol, it’s rich in folic acid and is characterized by low level of sodium and calories. That is why asparagus is popular in both vegetarian and non-vegetarian cuisines.
Herb Name: Asparagus
Others names: Garden Asparagus, Sparrow grass
Latin name: Asparagus officinalis
Family: Asparagaceae
Common part used: Roots, Shoots, Rhizomes, Stem, Seeds
Description: Asparagus is a plant with feathery foliage and tender spears, which grows in Western Europe. The plant prefers moist soil with semi-shade or no shade.
Properties: Asparagus is very helpful with kidney, liver, and bowel problems. Medicinal uses of asparagus include: antibiotic, antispasmodic, anti-cancer, cardiac, demulcent, diuretic, laxative, tonic and sedative. Asparagus is an herb that has been used as a medicinal herb for thousands of years.
Contents: Asparagus contains nematocidal asparagusic acid.
Internal use: The roots and the shoots have a cleansing and restorative effect on the bowels, liver, and kidneys. The root is strongly diuretic and laxative. As a diuretic, Asparagus root is very useful for the treatment of various urinary problems, such as cystitis and others. The roots are also used for the treatment of cancer, schistosomiasis, and to lower blood pressure. An Asparagus infusion is often used for the treatment of jaundice. The seeds of Asparagus possess antibiotic activity. Asparagus is also considered a gourmet food, and can be used raw or boiled. It has a hint of onion in its flavor. Roasted seeds can be used as a coffee substitute. This vegetable contains a lot of protein and dietary fiber.
External use: Not noted.
Essential oil and aromatherapy use: Not noted.
Safety precautions: People with kidneys disease or a weak heart are advised to avoid Asparagus.