Abstract

Verma Uma*, Joshi Pravin Kumar and Rout Om Prakash

ABSTRACT

Medicinal plants are useful for curing human diseases and play an important role in healing due to presence of phyto chemical constituents. India having a rich diversity of medicinal plants and rich plant diversity has provided an initial advantage to the local people for scrutinizing various plant species for the purpose of food, medicine, perfumes and spices .The natural and unique medicinal plants are used for curing various diseases/ailments and income generation. Ayurveda and other Indian literature have mentioned the use of plants in treatment of various human ailments. Food is the major source for serving the nutritional needs, but with growing modernization some traditional ways are being given up. Shatavari (Asparagus racemosus), a climbing Ayurvedic plant, is known for its numerous activities such as hyperlipidemia, hypertension, angina, dysmenorrhea, anxiety disorders, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), leucorrhoea and urinary tract infections. This plant possesses a wide range of secondary metabolites inclusive of steroids, alkaloids, dihydrophenanthrene derivatives, flavonoids, furan derivatives and essential oils. Information from the literature suggests that, the major constituents of A. racemosus are steroidal saponins which are mainly responsible for different biological activities of A. racemosus. This article details the review of single drugs Shatavari mentioned in Ayurvedic classical books. Present article also aims for validating classical fact with published scientific research work.