ASPARAGUS RACEMOSUS (SHATAVARI): A MULTIPURPOSE PLANT

Aarti Khulbe*

ABSTRACT

Asparagus racemosus is an ayurvedic plant with medical importance of tropical and subtropical India. It is important for its sapogenin content the precursor of many pharmacologically active steroids. Asparagus racemosus is mainly known for its phytoestrogenic properties with an increasing awareness about the harmful effects with synthetic oestrogens, the interest in plant derived oestrogens has increased tremendously making Asparagus racemosus particularly important. Asparagus racemosus has been shown to have many other properties like anti-abortifacient activity, Antidepressant, Anti-diarrhoeal, Antiulcerogenic action, antibacterial, analgesic, Antioxidant etc.

Keywords: Asparagus racemosus, Phytoestrogen.