Capsule Shatavari

Latin name: Asparagus Racemosus
Family: Liliaceae
Common name: Shatavari, shatmuli

Habitat: this climber grows in low jungles and is found al over India especially north India.

Macroscopic identification: Shatavari is a thorny climber, which grows to the height of 180 cm. The plants are hardy vines found trailing on bushes along the dry hill slopes

Parts used: Root

Pharmacological action: Mucilaginous, antidiarrhoetic, refriegerant, nutritive, tonic, antidysenteric, galactogogue, aphrodisiac, demulcent, & antispasmodic.

Actions and uses in ayurveda: mutrmeh, jvara, somroga, pradar, hrid dorbalya.

Indications: it is used to increase semen count, cure bareness in females and remove disorders of female genitals. It is also used to promote lactogenesis.

Photochemical: large amunt of saccharine and mucilage

Properties and action:

Rasa: madhura, tikta
Guna: guru, snigdh
Virya: sita
Vipaka: madhura
Karma: vatapitta hara, balya, rasayana, chaksuya.

Preparations: decoction, oil, powder

Therapeutic classification index:

• Central nervous system: used in hysteria, epilepsy, depression and loss of consciousness.
• Cardiovascular system: It increased the force and rate of contraction in isolated frog's heart at moderate doses.
• Digestive system: Digestive: Both aerial parts and roots of Asparagus racemosus have amylase and lipase activities thus may be attributed with digestive properties
• Reproductive system Shatavri roots are used mainly as lactogogue which promotes secretion of breast milk. Known as the 'Female Rejuvenative', Shatawari is helpful for low milk production, low sex drive, menopause and infertility. The plant has been used in ayurveda to increase milk secretion during lactation.
  Asparagus R is described as ‘Jeevaneeya’ in Ayurveda. It may help in regeneration of seminiferous tubule population and thus help in increase of spermatogenesis
• Immunity system: In general it helps to maintain the health by providing immunity to diseases. Asparagus racemosus has immune enhancing properties

Use of Asparagus Racemosus in gynecological disorders
One of the well-known major therapeutic potentials of Asparagus racemosus is its effect on female reproductive system. The study supporting this fact showed that an alcoholic extract of Asparagus racemosus exhibits anti-oxytocic activity. It has also been discovered that the saponin called shatavarin IV, an active component present in Asparagus racemosus is responsible for this activity. When studied in dose range of 20 µg to 500 µg/ml in various animal models like rat, guinea pig and rabbit uteri in vitro and in situ it produced a specific blockade of syntocinon, (oxytocin) induced contraction of uteri

Antioxidant properties of Asparagus Racemosus
One of the important properties of Asparagus racemosus is its antioxidant property and the study conducted has showed that the antioxidant effects of active principles, present in crude extract and a purified aqueous fraction of Asparagus racemosus at the concentration of 10 g/ml, are comparable to that of the established antioxidants glutathione and ascorbic acid and also that these extracts have potent antioxidant properties in vitro in mitochondrial membranes of rat liver.These studies supported the fact Asparagus racemosus is a potential antioxidant that can be used therapeutically to capture free radicals generating in the body as a result of some pathological reasons and ultimately leading to severe damage to various cells in the body.

Use of Asparagus Racemosus as an Immunomodulator
Another important property of Asparagus racemosus is its immune enhancing property by means of enhancing defence functions like leucocytosis (increased production of White blood cells) and neutrophilia (increased production of neutrophils)

Use of Asparagus Racemosus as an antitussive
The methanol extract of Asparagus racemosus root (200 and 400 mg/kg, p.o.) showed significant antitussive activity on sulfur dioxide-induced cough in mice when studied, the cough inhibition (40.0 and 58.5%, respectively) being comparable to that of 10-20 mg/kg of codeine phosphate (36.0 and 55.4%, respectively) a well known antitussive.

Dose: juice10-20ml, decoction 50-100ml

Capsule Shatavari contains pure and concentrated Shatavari
Dosage: one capsule twice a day.
Package 60 capsules

References:

1. Prof P.V Sharma, Dravya Guna Vigyana, Vol II, pg 562-564
2. Dr.KM Nadkarni, The Indian Materia Medica, Vol.I, pg 153-155