Asparagus racemosus
| 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 | |
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]
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]
References
- ^ a b c d "Asparagus racemosus". Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved April 25, 2009.
- ^ a b "Asparagus racemosus Willd." Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 2023-01-12.
- ^ a b H. T. Clifford, J. G. Conran (2020). "Asparagus racemosus". Flora of Australia. Canberra: Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment. Retrieved 2021-03-21.
- ^ Robert Freeman (2 March 2017). "Liliaceae – Famine Foods". Centre for New Crops and Plant Products, Department of Horticulture & Landscape Architecture. Purdue University. Retrieved 26 January 2026.
- ^ a b Pizzorno Jr., Joseph E.; Murray, Michael T.; Joiner-Bey, Herb (2015). The Clinician's Handbook of Natural Medicine (3rd ed.). Churchill Livingstone. p. 516. ISBN 9780702055140.
- ^ Hechtman, Leah (2018). Clinical Naturopathic Medicine (2 ed.). Elsevier. pp. 879, 908. ISBN 9780729542425.
- ^ Goyal, R. K.; Singh, Janardhan; Lal, Harbans (September 2003). "Asparagus racemosus—an update". Indian Journal of Medical Sciences. 57 (9): 408–414. PMID 14515032.
- ^ a b c d "Wild asparagus". LactMed, National Library of Medicine, US National Institutes of Health. 15 November 2025. PMID 30000872.
- ^ a b Patricia Marrfurra McTaggart; Molly Yawalminny; Mercia Wawul; et al. (2014). "Ngan'gikurunggurr and Ngen'giwumirri plants and animals". Northern Territory Botanical Bulletin. 43: 166. Wikidata Q106088130.
- ^ The Ley Group: Combinatorial Chemistry and total synthesis of natural products Archived May 25, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Sekine, T. (2010). "ChemInform Abstract: Structure of Asparagamine A (I), a Novel Polycyclic Alkaloid from Asparagus racemosus". ChemInform. 26 (5) chin.199505264: no. doi:10.1002/chin.199505264.
- ^ Total Synthesis Of The Antitumor Agent Asparagamine A retrieved 11-02-2011 Archived April 25, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Sharma, U; Saini, R; Kumar, N; Singh, B (2009). "Steroidal saponins from Asparagus racemosus". Chemical & Pharmaceutical Bulletin. 57 (8): 890–3. doi:10.1248/cpb.57.890. PMID 19652422.
- ^ Hayes, Patricia Y.; Jahidin, Aisyah H.; Lehmann, Reg; Penman, Kerry; Kitching, William; De Voss, James J. (2008). "Steroidal saponins from the roots of Asparagus racemosus". Phytochemistry. 69 (3): 796–804. Bibcode:2008PChem..69..796H. doi:10.1016/j.phytochem.2007.09.001. PMID 17936315.
- ^ Saxena, V. K.; Chourasia, S (2001). "A new isoflavone from the roots of Asparagus racemosus". Fitoterapia. 72 (3): 307–9. doi:10.1016/s0367-326x(00)00315-4. PMID 11295314.