Satavari (Asparagus Racemosus)

Latin Name	Asparagus recemosus
Sanskrit Name	Shatavari, Narayani, Vari, Abhiru, Atirasa
English Name	Asparagus
Common Name	Satavari, Satavar, Satamul, Ashadi poeru, Halavu Bau, Shimai-Shadvari, Pippipichara

Ayurvedic Properties and Action:

Rasa Madhura, Tikta Guna Guru, Snigdha Virya Sita Vipaka Madhura Karma Sukrala, Balya, Hrdya, Medhya, Pittahara, Rasayana, Vrsya, Sukraja, Kaphavataghna, Vataharaa, Stanyakara, Netrya, Agnipustikara1.

Phytochemistry:

The plant contains saponins—shatavarins I–IV. Shatavarin IV is a glycoside of sarsasapogenin. The dried root yields sitosterol; 4,6-dihydroxy-2–O-(2’ hydroxyisobutyl) benzaldehyde and undecanyl cetanoate, and contains a large amount of saccharine matter, mucilage and minerals—Ca, Cu, Na, K, Mg, Mn, Ni and Zn.

Pharmacological Actions:

It is astringent and nervine tonic, aphrodisiac, antidiarrhoetic, refriegerant, nutritive, tonic, antidysenteric, demulcent, & antispasmodic.
It has antioxytocic (Shatavarin IV), oestrogenic (Shatavarin I) and rejuvenating properties.

Medicinal Use:

It is used in hysteria, epilepsy, depression and loss of consciousness. Asparagus racemosus has immune enhancing properties and helps to maintain the health by providing immunity to diseases.
It is used for disorders of female genitourinary tract; as a styptic and ulcer-healing agent; as an intestinal disinfectant and astringent in diarrhoea; as a nervine tonic, and in sexual debility for spermatogenesis.
It is useful to increase the secretion of semen and in impotence.

Clinical / experimental study:

The saponin produces a special blockade of syntocinon (oxytocin)-induced contraction of uteri. It also blocks the uterine spontaneous motility.
Both aerial parts and roots of Asparagus racemosus have amylase and lipase activities thus may be attributed with digestive properties.

Asparagus racemosus showed considerable in vitro antibacterial efficacy against Escherichia coli, Shigella dysenteriae, Shigella sonnei, Shigella flexneri, Vibrio cholerae, Salmonella typhi, Salmonella typhimurium, Pseudomonas putida, Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus. The antimicrobial activity may be due to 9, 10-Dihydrophenanthrene.

Shatavari is an immunomodulator. Shatavari is capable of producing leucocytosis with neutrophilia and, furthermore, was able to prevent myelosuppression by reducing cyclophosphamide-induced leucopenia. Shatavari inhibit drug induced mammary carcinogenesis (cancer). Shatavari reduced the severity of the adhesions and this correlated with a significant increase in the activity of the macrophages^.