Collection, Establishment, Acclimatization and Quantification of Shatavarin IV in the Medicinally Important Plant – Asparagus racemosus Willd

Abstract

Medicinal plants constitute an important group of non-wood forest products. Approximately 80 % of the world population uses plants as a source of medicine for healthcare. Domestication and large scale cultivation is a viable alternative and offers the opportunity to overcome the problems that are inherent with herbal drugs-misidentification, genetic and phenotypic variability, extract variability and instability, toxic components and contaminants. Harvesting from the wild, the main source of raw material, results in loss of genetic diversity and habitat destruction. Asparagus racemosus being a rejuvenating herb, its restorative action is beneficial in women’s complaints and is mainly known for its phytoestrogenic properties. The tuberous roots of A. racemosus are rich in the saponins – Shatavarin I to IV and used in several diseases. Use of this plant is ever increasing and has become ‘critically endangered’. However, production of this crop has remained consistently low to fulfill the higher market demands. The present paper discusses the strategy of in situ conservation by way of collection, establishment and acclimatization of A. racemosus germplasm collected from different parts of India. All plants grown in this study originated from different climatic zones. The plants that were acclimatized for over three years in the Botanic Garden of the Institute contained about 0.25 % and 0.31 % of Shatavarin IV by dry weight of roots in thick and thin roots, respectively.