Categories
Herbs & Plants

Asparagus racemosus

Botanical Name : Asparagus racemosus
Family: Asparagaceae
Subfamily:Asparagoideae
Genus: Asparagus
Species:A. racemosus
Kingdom:Plantae
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales

Synonyms:
*Asparagus rigidulus Nakai,
*Protasparagus racemosus (Willd.) Oberm.

Common names in trade (local and foreign languages):
Satavari (Sanskrit); Shakakul, Satavari, Chatwal, Satawar (Hindi); Satmuli, Shatarnuli (Bengal); Satavar, Ekalkanto, Satavari, Satawar (Gujarati); Shatavari, Aheruballi, Ashadhi, Satmuli (Kanada); Sejnana (Kashmir); Shatavali, Chatavali, Satavari (Malayalam); Shatavari-mull, Asvel, Shatmuli, Satavari-mull (Marathi); Chhotaru, Mohajolo, Sotabari (Oriya); Tannirvittan-kizhangu, Ammaikodi, Kadumulla, Shimai Shadavari, Kilavari (Tamil); Satavari, Philli-taga, Challagadda, Pilli-gaddalu (Telugu)

Habitat : Asparagus racemosus is native to E. Asia – China, Japan, India. It is found at elevations up to 1,200 metres in the Himalayas, eastwards from Kashmir. Broad-leaved forests along streams or valleys at elevations of 2100 – 2200 metres in western China.

Description:
Asparagus racemosus is a perennial plant growing to 7 m (23ft). It is a tall, much branched, prickly climber with fascicle of fusiform roots. Cladodes 1.3-2.5 cm long, curved, in tufts of 2-6. Flowers small, white, in solitary or fascicled, simple or branched racemes.

It has 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 a hundred on each plant….CLICK & SEE THE PICTURES

The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Bees.Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers dry or moist soil.
Cultivation:
Easily grown in any good garden soil[200]. Prefers a rich sandy loam. This species is not very frost-hardy and generally needs to be grown in a frost-free or fairly frost-free climate. It can be grown as a half-hardy perennial in areas where the winter is too cold for it to survive outdoors. The tubers are harvested in the autumn, stored in a cool frost-free place and replanted in the spring. The rots of this species are commonly collected from the wild for medicinal use. Overcollection in some areas of its range are causing conservation concerns. Dioecious. Male and female plants must be grown if seed is required.
Propagation:
Seed – pre-soak for 12 hours in warm water and then sow in spring or as soon as the seed is ripe in early autumn in a greenhouse. It usually germinates in 3 – 6 weeks at 25°c. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in a sunny position in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer. Division in early spring as the plant comes into growth.
Edible Uses:
Tender young shoots – cooked as a vegetable. A preserve prepared from the blanched shoots is said to be very agreeable. The tuber are candied as a sweetmeat. The only flavour is said to be that of the sugar. The roots are 5 – 13cm long.

Chemical Constituents:
Asparagus contains steroidal glycosides (asparagosides), bitter glycosides, asparagin and flavonoids. Fresh leaves yield diosgenin and other saponins such as shatavarin I to IV. Flowers and fruits contain glycosides of quercetin, rutin, and hyperoside. Ripe fruit contains cyanidin 3-glycosides. Presence of sitosterol, stigmasterol, their glucosides and sarsasapogenin; two spirostanolic and two furostanolic saponins have been reported in the fruits. Tubers and roots contain saccharine matters and mucilage. An antioxytocic compound, named racemosal (a 9, 10-dihydorphenanthrene derivative), has been isolated from this plant (Ghani, 2003).

Medicinal Uses:

Alterative; Antispasmodic; Aphrodisiac; Demulcent; Digestive; Diuretic; Galactogogue; Infertility; Women’s complaints.

Shatavari (this is an Indian word meaning ‘a woman who has a hundred husbands’) is the most important herb in Ayurvedic medicine for dealing with problems connected women’s fertility. The rhizome is a soothing tonic that acts mainly on the circulatory, digestive, respiratory and female reproductive organs. The root is alterative, antispasmodic, aphrodisiac, demulcent, diuretic, galactogogue and refrigerant. It is taken internally in the treatment of infertility, loss of libido, threatened miscarriage, menopausal problems, hyperacidity, stomach ulcers and bronchial infections. Externally it is used to treat stiffness in the joints. The root is used fresh in the treatment of dysentery. It is harvested in the autumn and dried for use in treating other complaints. The whole plant is used in the treatment of diarrhoea, rheumatism, diabetes and brain complaints.

The premier herb for women in Ayurveda, shatavari is similar to dong quai in its action and effects, but is not a ?connoisseur herb? like dong quai, so it’s not as expensive. Internally for infertility, loss of libido, threatened miscarriage, menopausal problems, hyperacidity, stomach ulcers, dysentery, and bronchial infections. It increases milk, semen and nurtures the mucous membranes. It both nourishes and cleanses the blood and the female reproductive organs. It is a good food for menopause or for those who have had hysterectomies, as it supplies many female hormones. It nourishes the ovum and increases fertility, yet its quality is sattvic and aids in love and devotion. Three grams of the powder can be taken in one cup of warm milk sweetened with raw sugar. It’s especially good for pitta types. Externally for stiffness in joints and neck. The most important herb in Ayurvedic medicine for women. Used internally by Australian Aborigines for digestive upsets and externally for sores.

Other Uses:….Soap…..The squeezed root is used for washing clothes

Disclaimer:
The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.
Resources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asparagus_racemosus
http://www.mpbd.info/plants/asparagus-racemosus.php
http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Asparagus+racemosus
http://www.herbnet.com/Herb%20Uses_RST.htm

Categories
Suppliments our body needs

Basic Types of Suppliments

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Anyone who has strolled down a dietary supplement aisle is aware of — and possibly overwhelmed by — the huge variety. Counting different brands and combinations of supplements, there are literally thousands of choices available. You’ll hardly encounter this many in one location, but even a far more limited selection in your local supermarket can be confusing.

One reason for so much variety is that marketers are constantly trying to distinguish their own brands from others, and so they devise different dosages, new combinations, and creatively worded claims for their products. At the same time, scientists have found new and better ways of extracting nutritional components from plants and synthesizing nutrients in a laboratory — discoveries that have resulted in many new products.

To make informed decisions, it’s essential to understand the terms used on supplement labels, as well as the properties and characteristics of specific supplements. But to avoid feeling overwhelmed by all the choices facing you, it’s useful first to learn the basic types of supplements that are available and the key functions they perform in helping to keep you healthy.

Vitamins

A vitamin is a chemically organic substance (meaning it contains carbon) essential for regulating both the metabolic functions within the cells and the biochemical processes that release energy from food. In addition, evidence is accumulating that certain vitamins are antioxidants — substances that protect tissues from cell damage and may possibly help prevent a number of degenerative diseases.

With a few exceptions (notably vitamins D and K), the body cannot manufacture vitamins, so they must be ingested in food or nutritional supplements. There are 13 known vitamins, and these can be categorized as either fat-soluble (A, D, E, and K) or water-soluble (eight B vitamins and C). The distinction is important because the body stores fat-soluble vitamins for relatively long periods (months or even years); water-soluble vitamins (except for vitamin B12), on the other hand, remain in the body for a short time and must be replenished more frequently.

Minerals

Minerals are present in your body in small amounts: All together, they add up to only 4% of body weight. Yet these inorganic substances, which are found in the earth’s crust as well as in many foods, are essential for a wide range of vital processes, from basic bone formation to the normal functioning of the heart and digestive system. A number of minerals have been linked to the prevention of cancer, osteoporosis, and other chronic illnesses.

As with vitamins, humans must replenish their mineral supply through food or with supplements. The body contains more than 60 different minerals, but only 22 are considered essential. Of these, seven — including calcium, chloride, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, and sulfur — are usually designated macrominerals, or major minerals. The other 15 minerals are termed trace minerals, or microminerals, because the amount that the body requires each day for good health is tiny (usually it’s measured in micrograms, or millionths of a gram).

Herbs

Herbal supplements are prepared from plants –– often using the leaves, stems, roots, and/or bark, as well as the buds and flowers. Known for centuries as medicinal agents, many plant parts can be used in their natural form, or they can be refined into tablets, capsules, powders, tinctures, and other supplement formulations.

Many herbs have several active compounds that interact with one another to produce a therapeutic effect. An herbal supplement may contain all of the compounds found in a plant, or just one or two of the isolated compounds that have been successfully extracted. For some herbs, however, the active agents simply haven’t been identified, so using the complete herb is necessary to obtain all its benefits.

Of the hundreds of remedies that are surfacing in the current rebirth of herbal medicines, the majority are being used to treat chronic or mild health problems. Increasingly, herbs are also being employed to attain or maintain good health — for example, to enhance the immune system, to help maintain low blood cholesterol levels, or to safeguard against fatigue. Less commonly, some herbs are now recommended as complementary therapy for acute or severe diseases.

Nutritional supplements

These nutrients include a diverse group of products. Some, such as fish oils, are food substances that scientists have concluded possess disease-fighting potential. Flavonoids, soy isoflavones, and carotenoids are phytochemicals — compounds found in fruits and vegetables that work to lower the risk of disease and may alleviate symptoms of some ailments.

Other nutritional supplements, such as DHEA, melatonin, and coenzyme Q10, are substances present in the body that can be re-created synthetically in a laboratory. A similar example is acidophilus, a “friendly” bacterium in the body that, taken as a supplement, may aid in the treatment of digestive disorders. Amino acids, which are building blocks for proteins and may play a role in strengthening the immune system and in other health-promoting activities, have been known to scientists for many years. Only recently, however, have they been marketed as individual dietary supplements.

Source:Your Guide to Vitamin, Minerals and Herbs (Reader’s Digest)

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