Plant Family:  

Liliaceae Family

 

Habitat & Cultivation: 

Shatavari is native to India. Environments that are humid tropical jungles. It is a flower with six petals and comes from a nutritive family that is a demulcent, and rejuvenating. 

 

While the lists for use of shatavari are exponentially long (remember, ‘shata’= hundred, and ‘vari’= cures), here is a list of the most common traditional uses for the herb include the treatment of  increasing lactation, gonorrhea, piles, diabetes, rheumatism, cough, diarrhea, gastric upset, headache. (Singh & Geetanjali, 2015). Other uses that are relevant to midwifery include preventing threatened miscarriage, improving libido, regulating menstrual cycle, GU infections, reducing vaginal dryness, reduce PMS.
 

 

Parts Used/Collection: 

Most preparations are made from the roots, however, the whole plant can be used medicinally. You can find Shatavari as powdered root (typically mixed into warm milk, or ghee), powdered root in capsules, and tinctures, cut and sifted or powdered herb prepared as a decoction. 

 

• antidiarrheal

• adaptogen

• antibacterial 

• antispasmodic 

• aphrodisiac

• demulcent

• diuretic 

• immune tonic

• lung tonic                    

• galactagogue 

• gastroprotective

• antioxidant

• anti-ulcer

• phytoestrogenic

• neuroprotective

• antitussive

• Molluscicidal activity

• antilithiatic

• Uterine tonic

• Anti-candidal

• Nervine

 

Indications:

• Prevent threatened miscarriage

• Improve libido

• Helps with lactation

• Reduces PMS - taken throughout the cycle, during the follicular and luteal phase, estrogen modulatory effect can decrease excess estrogens associated with PMS.  This is also at play with amenorrhea and dysmenorrhea

• Reduces amenorrhea

• Reduces dysmenorrhea

• Digestive support

• Fertility tonic

Contraindications:

• One should take caution preparing Shatavari in methanol for its larger yielded extracts may lead to adverse pregnancy effects.  All other forms taken within the recommended dosing ranges are very safe

Plant Constituents:

• Steroidal saponins. Isoflavones, asparagamine, racemosol, polysaccharides, mucilage, vitamins A, B1, B2, C, E, Mg, P, Ca, Fe, and folic acid present in roots.

Dosing: 

From Mills, S. & Bone, K. (2005), Winston, D. and Maimes, S. (2007)

• Tincture: 1:5, 40-80 drops, TID

• Decoction: 2tsp per 1 cup H2O. Decocted for 10-15min and steeped for 40min. Drink 2 cups/day

• Capsules of powdered herb: 2 capsules TID (= 20gr/day)

• 20-30 g/day dried root (lower doses are used by infusion or decoction)

• 4.5-8.5mL of a 1:2 liquid extract or equivalent in tablet or capsule form.

• 1:1 fluid extract 2-8mL daily

• 10:1 standardized extract: 200-800 mg daily (Yance, 2014)

 

System Affinities: 

• Reproductive

• Genitourinary

• Circulatory

• Digestive

Energetics:

Bitter, sweet, cooling, oily, heavy.

PV-, K+

This herb creates the energetic conditions that support sexual vitality, fertility, and childbearing.  It is a very kapha herb that’s well suited for reproductive health and well being.

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Safety:

Safety Class: 2b Interaction Class: A

 

Personal Experience:

Tried tincture 3x in one day, I did not feel the effects from the tincture as I had expected, however, it did make me feel alert. 

 

Research: 

 

Hoffman, D. (2003). Medical Herbalism. Healing Arts Press: Vermont.

 

Mills, S. & Bone, K. (2005). The Essential Guide to Herbal Safety. London, England. Elsevier Churchill Livingstone.

 

 

Romm, A. (2010). Botanical medicine for women's health (p. 694). St. Louis, Mo: Churchill Livingstone/Elsevier.

 

Singh, R. & Gettanjali. (2015). Asparagus racemosus: A review on its phytochemical and therapeutic potential. In Natural Product Research. 30:17, 1896-1908. DOI: 10.1080/14786419.2015.1092148