Sativari (Asparagus racemosus) information

Source:
A thorny plant, which takes normally three years for root formation A. Racemosus is believed to be indigenous to parts of Russia, the Mediterranean region, and the British Isles. The herb hormone acts as an aphrodisiac, strengthens and increases muscle tone, moistens dry tissues of the sexual organs, kidneys, stomach and lungs, increase general strength, helps with symptoms of PMS, ammenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, leucorrhea, menopause, and pelvic inflammatory disease e.g. endometriosis; and is used as post-partum tonic where it helps to increase lactation and normalize the uterus and changing hormones.


Traditional uses:
The early Romans used A. Racemosus for food and medicinal purposes. It was first cultivated in England at the time of Christ and brought to America by the early colonists.  Asparagus has also been used in traditional Ayurvedic medicine. Ayurvedic medicine is a system of healing that dates back to ancient India Ayur means life or living, and veda translates as knowledge; therefore Ayurveda has been defined as the "knowledge of living" or the "science of longevity.

Physiology:
Sativari is rich in phytoestrogens a group of naturally occurring compounds that have a chemical structure very similar to estrogen. Estrogen is a hormone that is necessary for the normal sexual development and growth of the breasts, uterus and ovaries. The hormone plays a significant role in controlling a woman's menstrual cycles and is essential for reproduction. Estrogen also helps maintain the the cardiovascular system and prevent osteoporosis (disease in which the bones become extremely porous, subject to fracture, tend to heal slowly and are subject to infection).

Estrogen's access to reproductive tissue i.e. breast and endometrial is controlled by estrogen receptors that act as gatekeepers. Only estrogen or substances with a close structural resemblance to estrogen are permitted to bind. This explains how the similar phytoestrogens can bind to the estrogen receptors and displace the estrogen.

If estrogen is important to the normal growth of the reproductive tissue then why would we want to displace it from the estrogen receptors? Unfortunately, cancer cells also use estrogen to promote their growth. Normal cells grow and die in a controlled fashion. Cancer occurs when normal cells become abnormal and subsequently differentiate and grow without control or structure. Cancer cells usually grow at a rate significantly faster than our normal cells. Some cancer cells have estrogen receptors that are programmed to grow when estrogen binds to these receptor sites.

Phytoestrogens, while they displace the human estrogen, support female hormone levels by exerting an estrogen like effect on the reproductive organs. These phytoestrogens are an estimated 100-500 times less potent in their estrogen effect than human estrogen and maintain a hormonal balance by acting as anti-estrogen when the body's natural levels are high and they act as human estrogen when levels are low.

Stroke is the third leading cause of death for middle-age and older women. Compromised or blocked carotid arteries are one of the major causes of strokes in this age group. Phytoestrogens have shown to improve a women's lipid profile preventing strokes, similar to Premarin without the added risk of cancer.

Clinical Studies:
Research has shown that phytoestrogens or estrogen that is common in certain plants and herbs can displace the human estrogen and decrease the growth of tumor cells. Studies have revealed a lower incidence and mortality from hormone-dependent cancers in Asian women and men who consume traditional Asian diets that are rich in herbs and plants that contain phytoestrogens. Asian women who consume western diets have breast cancer rates similar to caucasian women. Lu LJ, Anderson KE, Grady JJ, Kohen F, Nagamani M, Decreased ovarian hormones during a soya diet: implications for breast cancer prevention. Cancer Res 2000 Aug 1;60(15):4112-21, Department of Preventive Medicine, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston 77555.

Modern day uses:
Today, Sativari is used by physicians and herbal specialist to treat the following conditions:

  • Moistens dry tissues of the sexual organs, kidneys, stomach and lungs
  • Strengthens and increases muscle tone
  • Increases general strength
  • Improves breast milk secretion during lactation
  • PMS, ammenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, leucorrhea, menopause, and pelvic inflammatory disease like endometriosis
  • Inflammatory bowel conditions
  • Post-partum tonic where it helps to increase lactation and normalize the uterus and the changing hormones
  • Aphrodisiac properties
  • Overall gentle herb which promotes an easier balanced life
  • Secondary to the phytoestrogens found in Sativari the herb helps prepare the womb for conception, prevents miscarriage and actions as a post-partum tonic thus normalizing the uterus increasing lactation, and controls changing hormones. The phytoestrogens help to normalize estrogen levels and play an important role in improving women’s long-term health.

Precautions and/or adverse effects:

Individuals with preexisting medical conditions should consult with their physician particularly if they are taking prescription or over-the-counter-medications or supplements. Women who are pregnant or nursing and children should also consult with their physician prior to taking any new supplements.  Sativari is free of any reported significant side effects at the time of this writing (return to homepage).