Shatavari

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• asparagus-fern
• Bottlebrush Asparagus

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Protasparagus racemosus
• Asparagus racemosus var. zeylanicus
• Asparagus racemosus var. javanicus
• Asparagus racemosus var. tetragonus
• Asparagus racemosus var. subacerosus
• Asparagus racemosus var. longicladodius
• Geitonoplesium scandens
• Asparagus petitianus
• Asparagus penduliflorus
• Asparagus tetragonus
• Asparagus stachyoides
• Asparagus zeylanicus
• Asparagopsis subquadrangularis
• Asparagus dubius
• Asparagus jacquemontii
• Asparagopsis hohenackeri
• Asparagopsis javanica
• Asparagopsis decaisnei
• Asparagopsis abyssinica
• Asparagopsis acerosa
• Protasparagus acerosus
• Protasparagus zeylanicus
• Protasparagus jacquemontii
• Protasparagus racemosus var. javanicus
• Protasparagus racemosus var. subacerosus

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, known scientifically as Asparagus racemosus, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. It is classified within the class Equisetopsida and the subclass Magnoliidae, falling under the order Asparagales. Furthermore, it is a member of the Asparagaceae family and is situated within the genus Asparagus.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant is primarily found across various regions within West Tropical Africa. Its geographical presence is documented in several specific nations, including Burkina and Ghana. Additionally, it can be located within the territories of Guinea-Bissau and Guinea. The distribution also extends into the Ivory Coast, marking its importance in the local landscape. These specific locations highlight the plant's established range throughout this part of the continent.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Asparagus racemosus is characterized by a broad adaptability to diverse topographical gradients, allowing it to thrive across a significant vertical distribution. This species is found across a wide elevational range, spanning from as low as 40 m AMSL to a maximum altitude of 2900 m AMSL. Such an extensive altitudinal breadth suggests that the plant can tolerate a variety of microclimates, ranging from tropical lowland environments to more temperate, high-altitude montane zones. Its ability to colonize these varying elevations indicates a resilience to different temperature regimes and moisture availability, often positioning it within forest edges, scrublands, or disturbed habitats where it can utilize its climbing habit to compete for light.

Elevational range max:

2900 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

40 m AMSL

Life history

The life history of Asparagus racemosus is characterized by its status as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist in its environment through multiple growing seasons. In terms of its growth habit and structural classification, it exhibits characteristics of both a phanerophyte, possessing visible aerial shoots, and a nanophanerophyte, reflecting its specialized growth forms. This combination of life forms enables the plant to maintain a stable presence within its ecological niche over an extended lifespan.

Life form :

nanophanerophyte

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Asparagus racemosus is characterized by its growth form as a woody herb and shrub, exhibiting a complex structure that allows it to function as an obligatory climber. While it possesses self-supporting capabilities in certain contexts, it primarily relies on climbing mechanisms to ascend. The plant is terrestrial in its habitat, functioning as an independent organism rather than a parasite or an epiphyte. In terms of stature, it displays significant variability in plant height, ranging from a minimum of 0.5 m to a maximum of 5 m, with an average height of approximately 2.83 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Climber :

obligatory

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

shrub

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

5 m

Plant height mean:

2.83333333333333 m

Plant height min:

0.5 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Asparagus racemosus is characterized by its metabolic efficiency and nutrient acquisition strategies. The plant utilizes a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which involves the direct fixation of atmospheric carbon dioxide through the Calvin cycle, a process typical of most temperate and subtropical vegetation. Unlike plants that employ C4 or CAM pathways to minimize photorespiration, Asparagus racemosus relies on the standard carboxylation of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate by the enzyme RuBisCO. Furthermore, regarding its nutrient cycling capabilities, the plant is not a nitrogen fixer; it lacks the specialized symbiotic relationships with diazotrophic bacteria, such as Rhizobium, required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into bioavailable forms, and instead depends on the uptake of nitrates and ammonium present in the soil substrate.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Asparagus racemosus is characterized by a biotic pollination syndrome, primarily driven by insects such as bees, which facilitate the fertilization process. The flowering cycle of the plant is seasonally specific, typically beginning in October and concluding in November, though the timing can remain variable. Following successful pollination, the plant produces seeds with a relatively small mass; the mean seed mass is recorded at 0.03817 g, with individual seed weights ranging from a minimum of 0.03361 g to a maximum of 0.04609 g.

Flowering time :

Oct

Flowering time :

Nov

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

bee

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Seed mass max:

0.04609 g

Seed mass mean:

0.03817 g

Seed mass min:

0.03361 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Asparagus racemosus has 3 reported plant parts identified across 18 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include root, leaf, rhizome.

Root

1. Journal of biological regulators and homeostatic agents
2. Free radical research
3. BMC genomics
4. Cureus
5. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Leaf

1. BMC genomics
2. Journal of analytical science and technology

Rhizome

1. Journal of the American Nutrition Association

Chemicals

Asparagus racemosus has 41 reported phytochemicals identified across 18 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Flavonoids, Shatavarin IV, Saponins, SAPONIN, Isoflavones.

Flavonoids

1. Journal of Ayurveda and integrative medicine
2. Journal of food science and technology
3. Journal of the American Nutrition Association
4. Iranian journal of pharmaceutical research : IJPR
5. Journal of traditional and complementary medicine

Shatavarin IV

1. Free radical research
2. Chemistry & biodiversity
3. Journal of the American Nutrition Association
4. Heliyon
5. Natural product communications

Saponins

1. BMC genomics
2. Journal of Ayurveda and integrative medicine
3. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie
4. Journal of traditional and complementary medicine
5. Pharmacological research

SAPONIN

1. BMC genomics
2. Journal of food science and technology
3. Journal of analytical science and technology

Isoflavones

1. Journal of the American Nutrition Association
2. Journal of traditional and complementary medicine

AFLATOXIN B1

1. Microbial ecology

Antioxidants

1. Journal of Ayurveda and integrative medicine

Asparanin A

1. Natural product communications

CALCIUM

1. Cureus

CHLOROPHYLL

1. Environmental science and pollution research international

Activities

Asparagus racemosus has 20 reported activities identified across 18 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Neuroprotective, Adaptogen, Adaptogenic, Antibacterial.

Antioxidant

1. Indian journal of experimental biology
2. Journal of the American Nutrition Association
3. Dose-response : a publication of International Hormesis Society
4. Iranian journal of pharmaceutical research : IJPR
5. Biochemistry and biophysics reports

Neuroprotective

1. Indian journal of experimental biology
2. Journal of the American Nutrition Association
3. Steroids
4. Heliyon
5. Neurochemistry international

Adaptogen

1. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie
2. Heliyon
3. Nutritional neuroscience
4. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Adaptogenic

1. Journal of the American Nutrition Association
2. Neurochemistry international

Antibacterial

1. Biometals : an international journal on the role of metal ions in biology, biochemistry, and medicine
2. Journal of the American Nutrition Association

Antidiabetic

1. Journal of the American Nutrition Association
2. Zeitschrift fur Naturforschung. C, Journal of biosciences

Aphrodisiac

1. Journal of biological regulators and homeostatic agents
2. Fitoterapia

Galactagogue

1. Chemistry & biodiversity
2. Fitoterapia

Nootropic

1. Molecular neurobiology
2. Heliyon

Anticarcinogenic

1. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie

Conditions

Asparagus racemosus has 65 reported investigations on conditions identified across 18 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include Alzheimer's disease, oxidative stress, aging, cancer, depression.

Alzheimer's disease

1. Steroids
2. Journal of the science of food and agriculture
3. Molecular neurobiology
4. Neurochemistry international

Oxidative stress

1. Free radical research
2. Journal of Ayurveda and integrative medicine
3. Dose-response : a publication of International Hormesis Society
4. Steroids

Aging

1. Free radical research
2. Biogerontology
3. Bioinformation

Cancer

1. Anti-cancer agents in medicinal chemistry
2. Scientific reports
3. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie

Depression

1. Heliyon
2. Neurochemistry international
3. Indian journal of experimental biology

Neurodegenerative disorders

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Neuroscience letters
3. Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.)

Anxiety

1. Cureus
2. Neurochemistry international

Cognitive dysfunction

1. Molecular neurobiology
2. Indian journal of experimental biology

Dysentery

1. Journal of the American Nutrition Association
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Dyspepsia

1. Scientific reports
2. Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.)

Preparations

Asparagus racemosus has 24 reported preparations identified across 18 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include roots, A. racemosus based nutraceuticals, Aqueous and ethanolic extracts, Asparagus racemosus extract (ARE), Ayurvedic preparations.

Roots

1. Journal of biological regulators and homeostatic agents
2. Free radical research

A. racemosus based nutraceuticals

1. Neurochemistry international

Aqueous and ethanolic extracts

1. Pharmacological research

Asparagus racemosus extract (are)

1. Neuroscience letters

Ayurvedic preparations

1. Bioinformation

Hydroalcoholic extracts

1. Biochemistry and biophysics reports

Php

1. Reproductive sciences (Thousand Oaks, Calif.)

Siotone

1. Indian journal of experimental biology

Aqueous extract

1. Steroids

Aqueous extracts

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology