Asparagus racemosus
Species of flowering plant
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Asparagus racemosus (shatavari, asparagus fern) is a species of asparagus native from Africa through southern Asia, including the Indian subcontinent, to northern Australia.[2][3] It grows 1–2 m (3 ft 3 in – 6 ft 7 in) tall and prefers to take root in gravelly, rocky soils high up in piedmont plains, at 1,300–1,400 m (4,300–4,600 ft) elevation.[4] It was botanically described in 1799.[1]88
| Shatavari | |
|---|---|
| |
| Plant photographed at Pune | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Asparagaceae |
| Subfamily: | Asparagoideae |
| Genus: | Asparagus |
| Species: | A. racemosus |
| Binomial name | |
| Asparagus racemosus | |
| Synonyms | |
Description
Asparagus racemosus is a climber having stems up to 4 m long. Its roots are both fibrous and tuberous.[3]
Shatavari has small pine-needle-like phylloclades (photosynthetic branches) that are uniform and shiny green. In July, it produces minute, white flowers on short, spiky stems, and in September it fruits, producing blackish-purple, globular berries. It has an adventitious root system with tuberous roots that measure about one metre in length, tapering at both ends, with roughly dozens on each plant.[2]
Uses
Although shatavari is used in Indian traditional medicine,[5][6][7] there is no high-quality clinical evidence to support using shatavari as a safe or effective therapy for any condition or disease.[5][8] Studies of its effects on lactation have shown no significant effects.[8] Its safety has not been well-studied, with two small trials finding no adverse effects in mothers or their babies.[8]
Australian Aboriginal uses
The roots of Asparagus racemosus are boiled and give a liquid used as an external wash to treat colds and other sicknesses, by the Aboriginal people of the Moyle River area in the Northern Territory.[9] (The Ngan'gi name for the plant is yerrwuwu.)[9]
Chemical constituents
Constituents of shatavari include steroidal saponins, mucilage, and alkaloids.[8] Asparagamine A, a polycyclic alkaloid, was isolated from the dried roots[10][11] and subsequently synthesized to allow for the construction of analogs.[12]
Steroidal saponins, shatavaroside A, shatavaroside B, filiasparoside C, shatavarins, immunoside, and schidigerasaponin D5 (or asparanin A) were isolated from the roots of Asparagus racemosus.[13][14]
Also present is the isoflavone 8-methoxy-5,6,4'-trihydroxyisoflavone 7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside.[15]
