Multidimensional Efficacy of Asparagus racemosus Willd: A Medicinal Herb

Abstract

Plants have been the basis of many traditional medicine systems throughout the world for thousands of years and continue to provide mankind with new remedies. Asparagus racemosus Willd is a medicine plant belongs to family Liliaceae and commonly known as Satawar, Satamuli, and Satavari found at low altitudes throughout India. Different species of Asparagus are present in India and all over the world. Every part of A. racemosus such as stem, root, leaves, are use to prevent disease in both humans and dairy animals. Its medicinal usage has been reported in the Indian and British Pharmacopoeias and in traditional systems of medicine such as Ayurveda, Unani and Siddha. A. racemosus is mainly known for its phytoestrogenic properties. With an increasing realization that hormone replacement therapy with synthetic oestrogens is neither as safe nor as effective as previously envisaged, the interest in plant-derived oestrogens has increased tremendously making A. racemosus particularly important. Mostly its sapogenin content the precursor of many pharmacologically active steroids. In spite of this it also contains minerals and vitamin. In Ayurveda, A. racemosus has been described as a rasayana herb and has been used extensively as an adaptogen to increase the non-specific resistance of organisms against a variety of stresses. The plant has been shown to aid in the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders and in alcohol abstinence-induced withdrawal symptoms. Besides use in the treatment of diarrhea and dysentery, the plant also has potent antioxidant, immune stimulant, anti-dyspepsia, antitussive effects Antiulcerogenic action, antibacterial, analgesic, galactgogue affects, antihepatotoxic, immunomodulatary effect, Antioxidant etc. We will also discuss the in silico activity against dyspepsia of the active phytochemicals present in the herbal formulation.