Asparagus racemosus Willd.

1211.90.9090 (Included under the category: Other plants and parts of plants, used primarily in perfumery and in pharmacy)

For its production from cultivated sources no figures are available. However, from the wild sources the total annual production is about 10000 tons per year mainly from the states of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.

The annual consumption of the crude drug mostly by Ayurvedic pharmaceuticals/ herbal drug manufactures is estimated to be 1500 tons per year.

About 175900 kg of fresh or chilled Asparagus worth Rs. 3684952 was exported to different countries (Source: Monthly Statistics of Foreign Trade of India. Export 2005-2006).

It is purchased by bulk drug users at Rs. 60 per kg at present.

Wild: Drug is collected from wild sources mainly from the states of U. P., Uttranchal and M. P. A lot of intra- specific variability is seen in this species in the wild under different phytogeographical regions of India. It is a perennial crop the tuberous roots are harvested when the plant is atleast 3 year old in dry season.

Cultivation: Cultivation of this crop has spread throughout India, however, it is still at a very limited scale and not on commercial scale.

The plant is distributed thoughout India, in areas upto 1500 m elevation, but is more common in the states of U. P. and M. P.

Crude drug: Peeled dried unbranched tubers, 5 to 15 cm long and upto 1 cm broad at the thickest part, almost straight, fusiform and somewhat transluscent. Fresh drug: The tubers are generally deeply wrinkled longitudinally. The wrinkles appear as flaps extending to the whole length of the root. The surface smooth, waxy, having fawn or flesh colour.

Semi-processed: As dry root powder used in many Ayurvedic preparations.

Processed: Available as aqueous as well as alcoholic extracts. Ayurvedic prepearations such as shatavari ghrita, naraina taila, vishnu taila, shatmulyadi lauha and shatavari panaka contain this drug.

Cultivation: Being cultivated in the Chhindwara district of M. P. The crop requires rich sandy loam soil and sunny position for proper growth. Plants are propagated by seeds. 

Soil and climate: Rich sandy loam soil

Nursery raising and planting: Seeds are sown in the months of July-August and transplanting is done in March-April.

Weeding and hoeing: It is done as per the requirement of the crop.

Manures, fertilizers and pesticides: No recommendation for the fertilizer and pesticides for the crop.

Irrigation: It is done as per the requirement of the crop. 

Harvesting/post-harvesting operation: The tuberous roots are harvested during dry season when the crop is 3 years old. After harvesting, tuberous roots are dried and grounded to powder.

Yield: Tuberous roots 100-150 quintal/ha.

Agrotechnology of this crop has been developed by 

• National Research Centre for the Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, Anand, Gujarat 
• Regional Research Laborat, Jammu (J&K) 
• Central Institute for Medicinal and Aromatic Plant, Luckhnow, (U.P.) 
• Institute of Himalyan Bioresource Techonology, Palampur, (H.P.) 
• Research Institute in Indian System of Medicine, Jogindernagar (H.P.)

Following Institutes have extensively contributed to post harvest management of this crop

• National Research Centre for the Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, Anand, Gujarat
• Regional Research Lab, Jammu (J. & K.) 
• Central Institute for Medicinal and Aromatic Plant, Luckhnow, (U. P.)
• Institute of Himalyan Bioresource Techonology, Palampur, (H. P.) 
• Research Institute in Indian System of Medicine, Jogindernagar (H. P.)

Germplasm preserved at the gene banks of medicinal and aromatic plants established by Department of Biotechnology Ministry of Science & Technology, Govt of India New Delhi

Regional Research Laboratory, Jammu

The compound preparations of Asparagus are Shatavari ghrita, Naraina taila, Vishnu Tails, Shatmulyadi lauha, Shatavari panaka.

The juice of the plant is used as demulcent, aphrodisiac; in leucorrhoea, as a uterine tooI in epistaxis, hyperacidity. The bark is used in amoebic dysentery. The twigs are used in wound healing dysentery, bacterial, viral parasitic diseases and digestive disturbances. The fruits are used in eczema. The leaves are used as hair tonic, galactagogue, in post delivery complications, urinary trouble; herpes; and scabies.

The dried roots about 700 gm are burnt and fumes are inhaled under a blanket for curing fever. The fresh roots are given to cattle in order to increase milk yield and to promote lactation after the death of calf and also used against maggots in wounds and to cure constipation and expel worms.

Antiulcer
The cytoprotective effect of the powders of dry fruits of Terminalia chebula and root of A. racemosus was studied on the experimentally induced acute gastric ulcerations. Duodenlal ulcers were produced by infusion of secretagogues and gastric lesions were induced by necrotising agents. A mixture of the two drugs in a dose of 1.5 g/kg each orally twice a day for 15 days was effective in preventing formation of duodenal ulcer and diminishing the ulcer index in gastric lesions (Dahanukar et al., 1983).

Galactagogue
The effects of intramuscular administration (0.l ml; 250 mg/kg) of the crude alcoholic extract of the root were studied in post partum, estrogen-primed and non primed rats. The extract increased the weight of mammary glands in post partum and estrogen-primed rats and the uterine weight in estrogen-primed group. The increase in the weight of adrenals coupled with the depletion of ascorbic acid suggested the release of pituitary ACTH. Estrogen- primed rats receiving the extract showed well developed lobuloalveolar tissue with milk secretion. The mechanism of action of the extract may be through a direct action on the mammary gland or through the pituitary or pituitary adrenal axis due to the secretion of prolactin and ACTH (Jetmalani et al; Sabins et al., 1968).

Antioxytocic
The alcoholic extract of the root exhibited antioxytocic activity. The saponin-glycoside A4, mp 191-95° C in doses of 20-50 µg/ml produced a specific and competitive block of the pitocin syntocinon -induced contraction of rat, guinea pig and rabbit uteri in vitro as well as in situ. The saponin also blocked the spontaneous uterine motility. It was also found that the hypotensive action of syntocinon in cat was unaffected by previous administration of saponin A4 (Gaitonde and Jetmalani, 1968a; 1969b).

Anticancer
The 50%  ethanolic extract of the plant excluding root revealed anticancer activity against human epidermoid carcinoma of nasopharynx in tissue culture (Dhar et al., 1968). The powdered rootextract revealed inhibitory action on DMBA-induced mammary tumourigenesis in rats of Holtzman strain. The mammary tumour incidence showed a sharp decline when virgin female rats, normal or primed with 17 β-estradiol treatment were put on diets containing 0.25, 0.5, 1 or 2% root extract powder for 10d prior to their exposure to DMBA. There was a increase in the latency period (Rao, 1981).

The in vitro cytotoxicity of the plant was tested against Ehrlich ascites tumour cells in mice. The plant did not completely inhibit the tumour growth but possibly induced a lag in certain stages of its development (Seena et al., 1993). The crude alcoholic extract of the root 100 mg/kg administered orally to mice once daily for 17wk inhibited ochratoxin A OTA -induced suppression of chemotactic activity of murine macrophages obtained from mice as compared to controls receiving distilled water. There was also an increase in the interleukin-1 IL-1 and tumour necrosis factor TNF-cx when compared to controls (Dhuley, 1997).

Immunomodulators
The effect of the pretreatment of the decoction of the root 100 mg/kg/day for 15d orally: was evaluated against E. coli induced peritonitis in mice. The results indicated 50% mortality at 16h as compared to 100% in the control animals, thus suggesting an immunomodulating property (Thatte et al., 1987). The immunotherapeutic modulation of intraperitoneal adhesions induced by caecal rubbing by the plant 200 mg/kg as total extrac administered orally for l5d in experimental rats was studied. The peritoneal macrophages obtained from normal rats exhibited 32+1.77% phagocytosis while, those receiving the plant extract showed a significant increase in phagocytic activity 53+5.78% of macrophages. Pretreatment of animals with the plant extract in which surgery was used induce intraperitoneal adhesions and their sacrifice after 15d of surgery showed significant decrease in the adhesion scores. This was associated with a significant increase in the macrophage activity 70.1+2.52% compared to that in surgical controls 53.77+10.8%. Animals which received treatment following induction of adhesions also exhibited similar response. The peritoneal macrophages increased to 68.5+4.2%. The findings provided a novel approach for the prevention and management of post operative adhesions (Rege et al., 1989).

Antiinflammatory
The decoction of the tuber when fed orally at a dose of 1.5 ml per 100 g, did not prevent the development of swelling of joints in experimental arthritis produced by formaldehyde injection in rats (Chaturvedi and Singh, 1965a and b). The methanolic extract of the root at doses of 20 and 400 mg/kg showed maximum inhibition of oedema of 18.6% and 33.7% at 3h with carrageenin and 22.2% and 40.5% at 5h with serotonin-induced rat paw oedema, respectively. The antiinflammatory activity of the extract was comparable to that of phenylbutazone (Mandal et al., 1998).

Antidiabetic
The dried ethanolic extract 250 mg per kg body weight and the inorganic parts 90 mg pure ash/kg bw of the root revealed hypoglycaemic activity in a single dose effect on the oral glucose tolerance test GTT in fasting albino rats (Kar et al., 1999).

Enzyme activity
The aqueous extracts of both fresh and dried root were found to have amylase and lipase activities, the activity being higher in the former. The optimum pH at which these activities could be found were 4 to 5 for a-amylase, 6.9 for b-amylase and 7.4 for lipase activity. The leaves of the seedling as well as the old plants possessed cholinesterase activity in vivo tests while the branch and roots were devoid of it (Gupta and Gupta, 1997).

CVS activity
The aqueous solution of the crude alcoholic extract of the root in a dose of 10-20 mg caused initial increase in force and rate of contraction in isolated frog's heart but a higher dose 40 mg caused cardiac arrest. The glycosidal fraction 0.5 mg of the plant produced bradycardia and reduction in the force of contraction but with 1-5 mg dose, complete cardiac arrest was observed for some time after which the force of contraction was restored to normal. A high dose i.e. 15 mg/kg of the crude alcoholic extract produced a fall in blood pressure and depression in the respiration of cat. The hypotensive effect could be antagonized by pretreatment with atropine but not with antihistaminic. In mice and rats, mesenteric capillary circulation became static with topic and intravenous administration of the crude alcoholic extract. The extract also caused an increase in bleeding time in the rabbit and slight diuretic effect in the rat (Roy et al., 1971).

CNS activity
A preliminary study in rats to evaluate the central doparninergic effect of the plant, revealed that 1 g/kg and 2 g/kg of the powdered roots administered orally did not produce catalepsy or sedation (Dalvi et al., 1990).

Anabolic action
The decoction of the root in a dose of 100 mg/kg bw for a varying period of 4 week to 8 months showed growth promoting effects in rats. The decoction treated animals also showed a better weight gain 81.19 % as compared to the control animals 67.9 %. It however, had no effect on the progeny of treated animals. The growth promoting effect was indicative of its anabolic effect and ascribed to its adaptogenic substances (Sharma et al., 1986b).

Antiallergic
The alcoholic extract of the root at a dose of 50 mg/kg p.o. revealed antiallergic activity as evidenced by inhibition of passive cutaneous anaphylaxis in mouse by 57% and in rat by 53% (Gupta et al., 1993).

General Pharmacology 
The 50% ethanolic extract of the plant excluding root in a preliminary biological screening revealed antispasmodic activity on isolated guinea pig ileum and effect on guinea pig heart. The MTD of the extract was found to be 1000 mg/kg bw i.p. in mice. The 50% ethanolic extract of the root was found devoid of all activities tested viz., effects on isolated guinea pig ileum, rat uterus and respiration in experimental animals. The LD50 of the extract was 1000 mg/kg i.p. in mice.

Antimicrobial 
The alcoholic extract of the root was found to possess in vitro antibacterial activity against Staphylcoccus aureus and Escherichia coli. However, the aqueous extract was found to be inactive (George et al., 1947).

The hexane, aqueous and alcoholic extracts of the root at concentration of 200 mg /ml were devoid of any in vitro antibacterial activity against Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Proteus vulgaris, Salmonella typhimurium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus using the agar well diffusion test (Ahmed et al., 1998). The juice of the root showed fungitoxicity against three plant fungi viz., Helminthosporium sativum (60. 7%) Colletotrichum falcatum (58.2 ) and Fusarium oxysporum (60.7%) (Singh and Sharma, 1978).

The root bark showed marked antibacterial, against eight bacteria viz., Micrococcus pyogenes var. aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Diplococcus pneumoniae, Streptococcus pyogenes, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhosa, Vibrio comma and Shigella dysenteriae; antitubercular against two mycobacteria Mycobacterium phlei and Mycobacterium 607; and antifungal actions against four fungi viz., Microsporum gypseum, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, Candida albicans and Helminthosporium sativum (Bhatnagar et al., 1961).

The methanol fraction of the leaves using the disc diffusion test at a concentration of 4000 and 5000 ppm was found to inhibit Proteus vulgaris while it was devoid of any activity against Escherichia coli, Klebsiella aerogenes and Pseudomonas aerogenes [Perumal Samy et al., 1998]. The fresh juice of the plant showed antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus (Bhawasar et al., 1965). The extract of the plant showed moderate toxicity against Rhizoctonia solaniI (Renu, 1983).

Anthelmintic 
The aqueous extract of the root was lethal or inhibitory, in vitro studies to hatching of Meloidogyne javanica and M. arenaria. A 1% solution of the active material contained in the nematicide, Nemaphos O-O-diethyl-O-2-pyrazinyl phosphothionate suppressed hatching in dilutions up to 10000 times and was comparable to the activity of 1 ml undiluted plant extract 10 g/100 ml (Swarup and Sharma, 1967).

Chemical constituents: Asparagus contains sterolidal glycosides, bitter glycosides, asparagins and flavonoids. The plant contains four saponins, viz. shatavarin I to IV. Shatavarin IV is a glycoside of sarsasapogenin having two molecules of rhamnose and one molecule of glucose. It also contains mucilage and starch. Flowers contain quercetin, hyperoside and rutin. Fruits contain glycosides of quercetin, rutin and hyperoside. Fully ripe fruits contain cyanidin-3-galactoside and cyanidin-3-glucorhamnoside. Leaves contain rutin, diosgenin and quercetin-3-glucuronide. The epidermal tissue contain cyanidin-3,5-diglucoside and cyaniding 3-monoglucoside.

Chemical markers: The Chemical marker is Shatavarin IV whose content varies from 0.05%-0.085%.

No adverse effects due to the use of the root powder have been reported and the plant is also consumed as food. The maximum tolerated oral dose of the 50% ethanolic extract of the whole plant (excluding roots) was 1000 mg/kg body weight in adult male albino rats.

Contraindicated in inflammatory kidney diseases

• Root powder: 3 - 6 g b.i.d. 
• Narayana taila: Topical use 
• Infusion: 12-20 ml 
• Decoction: 56-112 ml 
• Powder: 20-30 g