Asparagus racemosus (Shatavari): An Overview

Abstract

Asparagus racemosus is an indigenous medicinal plant of the family Liliaceae 1956; is important for its sapogenin content the precursor of many pharmacologically active steroids. It has antioxidant activity, anti-abortifacient activity (Shatvarin 1), Antioxytoxic (shatavarin4), spasmodic to uterus, hypoglycemic, hypertensive activity, anticoagulant activity, antiviral activity, anticancer. Antidysenteric activity. This species occurs widely throughout the tropical and subtropical regions. The racemosides saponin content of Asparagus racemosus roots revised the structures of the two major saponins of this plant. Shatavarins I, 10 and 1V, 7 further confirmation was provided by the isolation of a new minar steroidal saponin from the Asparagus racemosus roots shatavarin V, 6 and the demonstration that this saponin in fact possessed the structure previously incorrectly assigned to shatavarin 1V isolation and structure elucidation of the steroidal saponins isolated from the root of this plant.