Shatavari - Asparagus racemosus Common Names Shatavari (Sanskrit), Constituents Satavari (Hindi), wild • steroidal saponins, known as shatavarins asparagus, asparagus bush I- IV. Shatavarin I is the major glycosid4 Part Used Root • isoflavones including 8-methoxy-5,6,4'- trihydroxyisoflavone 7-O-beta-D- Description glucopyranoside5 Shatavari is a woody climber growing to 1-2 m • asparagamine, a polycyclic alkaloid6 in length. The leaves are like pine-needles, • racemosol, a cyclic hydrocarbon (9,10- small and uniform. The inflorescence has tiny dihydrophenanthrene)7 white flowers, in small spikes. The roots are finger-like and clustered.1 The plant, of the • polysaccharides, mucilage Liliaceae family, is common at low altitudes in shade and in tropical climates throughout Scientific studies India,2 Asia, Australia and Africa. Shatavari is recommended in Ayurvedic texts Adaptogenic Activity for prevention and treatment of gastric ulcers, Six rasayana plants from Ayurveda, has been dyspepsia and as a galactogogue studied for their adaptogenic potential. The Shatavari means ‘who possesses a hundred whole, aqueous, standardized extracts of husbands’. It is considered both a general tonic selected plants (Tinospora cordifolia, and a female reproductive tonic. Shatavari is Asparagus racemosus, Emblica officinalis, the main Ayurvedic rejuvenative tonic for the Withania somnifera, Piper longum and female, as is Withania for the male. Shatavari is Terminalia chebula) were administered orally however, used for sexual debility and infertility to experimental animals, in a dose extrapolated in both sexes. It is also used for menopausal from the human dose, after which they were 3 exposed to a variety of biological, physical and symptoms and to increase lactation.2, chemical stressors. Due to its traditional usage and the fact that it The plant extracts were found to protect contains steroidal saponins, shatavari is fast against the stressors, as measured by markers of becoming a popular alternative to false unicorn stress responses and objective parameters for root. stress manifestations. Shatavari is a soothing and antispasmodic Using a model of cisplatin induced alterations diuretic (although the Western Asparagus root, in gastrointestinal motility, the ability of the A. officinalis, is a stronger diuretic). It is used plants to exert a normalizing effect, irrespective wherever increased flow of urine is desirable, of direction of pathological change was tested. such as fluid retention and urinary infections. All the plants reversed the effects of cisplatin The diuretic and cleansing activities of the roots on gastric emptying, while Asparagus are of benefit in the treatment of rheumatic racemosus also normalized cisplatin-induced pain. intestinal hypermotility. All the plant drugs It is a sweet and bitter herb which is said to be were found to be safe in both acute and particularly balancing to Pitta Dosha. subacute toxicity studies. Studies on the Recent research has shown it to be an mechanisms of action of the plants revealed that immunomodulator with antioxidant, healing they all produced immunostimulation.8 and adaptogenic properties. Michael Thomsen & Phytomedicine A traditional Ayurvedic formulation, Siotone, a hypertrophied muscular wall, whereas the ovary rasayana formulation with adaptogenic revealed no effect of the drug. The results properties contains Withania somnifera, suggest an oestrogenic effect of Shatavari on Ocimum sanctum, Asparagus racemosus, the female mammary gland and genital Tribulus terristris and shilajit (a mineral-rich, organs.11 composted plant exudate scraped off rocks). All Further, a glycoside, Shatavarin I, isolated from ingredients are classified in Ayurveda as the root of A. racemosus has been found to be rasayanas which are reputed to promote responsible for the competitive block of physical and mental health, improve defense oxytocin-induced contraction of rat, guinea pig mechanisms of the body and enhance longevity. and rabbit's uteri, in vitro as well as in vivo.[21] An in vivo study has shown that Siotone improved glucose tolerance, libido, depression, Antioxytocic Activity cognitive dysfunction and immunosupression The saponin rich fraction was shown to have caused by chronic stress.9 antioxytocic activity. The saponin inhibited oxytocin-induced uterine contractions in vivo.12 Hormonal Activity Pure 9,1 0-dihydrophenanthrene has been shown Galactogogue to interact with androgen receptors and may Extract of shatavari has been shown to increase therefore inhibit androgen-dependent prostatic both the weight of mammary lobulo-aveolar growth.10 Shatavarins, the steroidal saponins, tissue and the milk yield. This effect was may be responsible for the hormonal like effect attributed to the action of released of shatavari and explain its traditional use as a corticosteroids or an increase in prolactin.1 reproductive tonic. Shatavari has been found to stimulate milk 13 Experimental studies have shown that shatavari production in buffaloes. The galactogenic 14 may have oestrogenic effects on breast tissue effect has been confirmed by a clinical trial. and genital organs in female rats. An alcoholic extract of the shatavari rhizome was Antibacterial Activity administered orally to adult pregnant female Different concentrations (50, 100, 150 mcg/mL) albino rats at a dose of 30 mg/100 g body of the methanol extract of the roots of weight, daily for 15 days (days 1-15 of Asparagus racemosus showed considerable in gestation). The macroscopic findings vitro antibacterial efficacy against Escherichia revealed a prominence of the mammary glands, coli, Shigella dysenteriae, Shigella sonnei, a dilated vaginal opening and a transversely Shigella flexneri, Vibrio cholerae, Salmonella situated uterine horn in the treated group of typhi, Salmonella typhimurium, Pseudomonas animals. The weight of the uterine horns of the putida, Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus treated group was found to be significantly aureus. The effects produced by the methanol 15 higher (p < 0.001) but the length was shorter (p extract were compared with chloramphenicol. > 0.01). Microscopic examination of the treated The antimicrobial activity may be due to 9,10- 16 group showed proliferation in the lumen of the Dihydrophenanthrene. duct of mammary gland. It was obliterated due to hypertrophy of ductal and glandular cells. Immunological Activity Hyperplasia of the glandular and muscular Shatavari is an immunomodulator. Animal tissue and hypertrophy of the glandular cells studies found that shatavari is capable of were observed in the genital organs. The producing leucocytosis with neutrophilia and, parenchyma of the genital organs showed furthermore, was able to prevent abundant glycogen granules with dilated blood myelosuppression by reducing vessels and thickening of the epithelial lining. cyclophosphamide-induced leucopenia.17 The oviduct in the treated group showed Michael Thomsen & Phytomedicine Shatavari has also been shown to inhibit drug examined in rat liver mitochondria. An extract induced mammary carcinogenesis.18 of shatavari was shown in vitro to have potent The hypothesis that macrophages play a pivotal antioxidant properties in mitochondrial role in the development of intraperitoneal membranes of the rat liver. Both the crude adhesions and that modulation of macrophage extract as well as a polysaccharide-rich fraction activity, therefore, may prevent adhesions, was significantly inhibited lipid peroxidation and tested in an Indian study.19 The effects of protein oxidation. Both fractions also partly shatavari was evaluated in an animal model of protected against radiation-induced loss of protein thiols and inactivation of superoxide intraperitoneal adhesions. Shatavari reduced the 23 severity of the adhesions and this correlated dismutase. with a significant increase in the activity of the macrophages. Cytoprotective & neuroprotective effects An vitro study found that shatavari increased Oral pretreatment with Asparagus racemosus 20 (200 mg/kg/day) was found to protect against phagocytic activity of macrophages while an 24 in vivo study found that Asparagus racemosus, chemical induced gastric damage in rats. Tinospora cordifolia, Withania somnifera and Pretreatment with shatavari has also been Picrorhiza kurrooa inhibited drug-induced shown to reduce drug induced lung fibrosis. suppression of chemotactic activity and Bleomycin increases the hydroxyproline production of interleukin- 1 and TNF-alpha by content of lung tissue causing intra-alveolar macropahges.21 fibrosis and deranged alveolar architecture. Oral administration of an aqueous root extract Shatavari significantly (p<0.001) the bleomycin (100 mg/kg per day for 15 days) to animals induced lung fibrosis. These protective effects were associated with a significant increase in immunised with diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis 8 (DTP) vaccine resulted in significant increase alveolar macrophage activity. (p = 0.0052) in antibody titers to Bordtella Shatavari has also been shown to reduce pertussis as compared to untreated (control) alcohol induced damage to the gastric mucosa. animals. Immunised animals (treated and Pretreatment for seven days caused a 70% 8 untreated) were challenged with B. pertussis reduction in the ulcer index. and the animals were observed for 14 days. The A study has compared the antiulcer and treated animals showed a significant increase in antisecretory activity of shatavari and withania antibody titers as compared to untreated root extracts