Asparagus ~ Asparagus officinalis

Asparagus

Latin name: Asparagus officinalis

Family: Liliacea

Part used: rhizome; young shoots as food

Habitat: Europe, Western Asia, cultivated in other parts of the world

Main constituents: Steroidal glycosides (asparagosides); bitter glycosides, asparagine, folic acid, arginine, tyrosine, flavonoids, polysaccharides, flavonoids

Energetics: cold and wet, cools renal and lower urinary activity, warms lower and upper GI activity, warms parasympathetic and cools sympathetic nervous system activity, cools cardiovascular and respiratory system function

Main herbal actions: diuretic, laxative, urinary demulcent, general kidney bladder benefit, moist anabolic agent (Khalsa)

Minor herbal actions:  cardiac tonic, sedative, hypotensive

Main medicinal uses: kidney gravel

Minor medicinal uses: gout, dropsy, rheumatism

Preparations: dried encapsulated root, standardized extract, tincture

Dose: very mild, food-like herb, raw hwr in capsules- up to as much as 20 grams per day, as necessary (Khalsa)

Contraindications: diarrhea, pyelonephritis or other kidney infections, edema caused by impaired kidney or heart function

Toxicity: unknown

Comments: Very similar to Chinese species and Ayurvedic shatavari (A. racemosus)

Sources: http://www.viable-herbal.com/singles/herbs/s112.htm, http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/a/aspar079.html#med, http://www.naturalhealthnotebook.com/Herbs/Latin_Herbs/Genus-A/Asparagus_officinalis.htmQ, Wren, R.C. Potter’s New Cyclopaedia of Botanical Drugs and Preparations.