Plant profile, phytochemistry and pharmacology of Asparagus racemosus (Shatavari): A review

Asparagus racemosus (A. racemosus) belongs to family Liliaceae and commonly known as Satawar,\udSatamuli, Satavari found at low altitudes throughout India. The dried roots of the plant are used as\uddrug. The roots are said to be tonic and diuretic and galactgogue, the drug has ulcer healing effect\udprobably via strenthening the mucosal resistance or cytoprotection. It has also been identified\udas one of the drugs to control the symotoms of AIDS. A. racemosus has also been successfully by\udsome Ayurvedic practitioner for nervous disorder, inflammation and certain infectious disease.\udHowever, no scintific proof justify aborementioned uses of root extract of A. racemosus is available\udso far. Recently few reports are available demonstrating beneficial effects of alcoholic and water\udextract of the roots of A. racemosus in some clinical conditions and experimentally indused\uddisease e.g. galactogougue affects, antihepatotoxic, immunomodulatory effects, immunoadjuvant\udeffect, antilithiatic effect and teratogenicity of A. racemosus. The present artical includes the\uddetailed exploration of pharmacological properties of the root extract of A. racemosus reported so\udfar