Asparagus Root is a highly regarded herb worldwide.
Article Content:
- .Botanical Info of Asparagus root.
- .Plant Description and Narrative:Asparagus Officinalis.
- .Phytochemical and Constituents of Asparagus.
- .Asparagus Edible Uses.
- .Asparagus Medicinal Action and Uses.
- .Asparagus Archeology and History.
- .Research Update:Asparagus and compositions.
- .Asparagus Safety and Interaction Information.
- .Research Update:Asparagus officinalis.
Phytochemical and Constituents of Asparagus.
Ancient Grecians and Romans used Asparagus for its diuretic properties. It helps flush out the kidneys and help prevent the formation of kidney stones. Hippocrates highly regarded Asparagus as a medicinal plant that was used for treating all kinds of conditions from toothaches to healing certain types of cancer. This plant contains vitamins A, B1, B2, C and E, magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, iron and folic acid. Chinese pharmacists save the best Asparagus roots for their families and friends, believing that it will increase feelings of compassion and love. In India, it is used to promote fertility, reduce menstrual cramping, and increase milk production in nursing mothers.
Constituents:Asparagus stems are rich in the amino acids asparagine, tyrosone and arginine, plus succinic acid and a methylsulfonium derivative of methionine. Other constituents of asparagus include essential oil, flavonoids (kaempferol, quercitin, rutin), resin, and tannin.Two sulfur-bearing mercaptans, S-methylthioacrylate and S-methyl 3-(methylthio) thiopropionate accounts for the distinctive odor of your urine shortly after consuming a mass of the stems.
Composition Figures in grams (g) or miligrams (mg) per 100g of food:
Stem (Fresh weight)
26 Calories per 100g
Water: 91.7%
Protein: 2.5g; Fat: 0.2g; Carbohydrate: 5g; Fibre: 0.7g; Ash: 0.6g;
Minerals - Calcium: 22mg; Phosphorus: 62mg; Iron: 1mg; Magnesium: 0mg; Sodium: 2mg; Potassium: 278mg; Zinc: 0mg;
Vitamins - A: 540mg; Thiamine (B1): 0.18mg; Riboflavin (B2): 0.2mg; Niacin: 1.5mg; B6: 0mg; C: 33mg;
Asparagosid E: C46H78O19
Chemistry and Pharmacology:
The main constituents include inulin, asparagusic acid, and eight fructo-oligosaccharides (Leung and Foster, 1996). The two glycosidic bitter principles, officinalisnin-I and officinalisnin-II, are isolated from the dried root and yield b-sitosterol, sarsasapogenin, and nine steroidal glycosides (named asparagosides A to I, in order of increasing polarity) (Leung and Foster, 1996). Other constituents include asparagine, tyrosine, succinic acid, arginine, a-aminodimethyl-g-butyrothetin (a methylsulfonium derivative of methionine), fat, and sugar (Stecher, 1968). The roots are thought to possess diuretic and hypotensive properties, and to enhance the renal elimination of water (Bruneton, 1995; Leung and Foster, 1996).
Nutrition:Nutritionally, asparagus is one of the more balanced vegetables. It is the leading provider of folic acid in all vegetables. Folic acid is necessary for blood cell formation, growth, and prevention of liver disease. Asparagus is also very low in calories; each stalk contains less than 4 calories. It contains no fat or cholesterol, and is very low in sodium. Asparagus is a great source of potassium and fiber. Asparagus also provides rutin, which strengthens the capillary walls.
Asparagus is a nutrient-dense food which in high in Folic Acid and is a good source of potassium, fiber, vitamin B6, vitamins A and C, and thiamin.
Asparagus has No Fat, contains No Cholesterol and is low in Sodium.
Shoot: 22-spirostan-3beta-ol,4-VINYL-GUAIACOL,4-VINYL-PHENOL;ALPHA-LINOLENIC-ACID;ARGININE;ASPARAGINE;ASPARAGOSIDES;ASPARAGUSIC-ACID;BETA-CAROTENE;CHROMIUM;CONIFERIN;CYANIDIN-3,5-DIGLUCOSIDE;CYANIDIN-3-MONOGLUCOSIDE;CYANIDIN-3-RHAMNOSYLGLUCOSIDE;CYANIDIN-3-RHAMNOSYLGLUCOSYLGLUCOSIDE;CYSTINE;DIOSGENIN;FOLACIN;GLUTAMIC-ACID;GLYCINE;GUAIACOL;HISTIDINE;INOSITOL;ISOLEUCINE;JAMOGENIN;LAURIC-ACID;LEUCINE;LINOLEIC-ACID;LYSINE;M-CRESOL;MYRISTIC-ACID;NIACIN;O-CRESOL;OLEIC-ACID;P-CRESOL;PAEONIDIN-3-GLUCOSYLRHAMNOSYLGLUCOSIDE;PAEONIDINRHAMNOSYLGLUCOSIDE;PALMITIC-ACID;PALMITOLEIC-ACID;PANTOTHENIC-ACID;PHENYLALANINE;PHILOTHION;PROLINE;RHAMNOSE;RIBOFLAVIN;SARSAPOGENIN;SERINE;SUCCINIC-ACID;THIAMIN;THREONINE;TOCOPHEROL;TRYPTOPHAN;TYROSINE;VALINE
Seed:ALANINE
Rhizome: PSEUDOASPARAGOSE;ALPHA-AMINODIMETHYL-GAMMA-BUTYROTHETIN;CHOLINE;MANNAN
Plant:ZEAXANTHIN;LUTEIN;ALPHA-CAROTENE;ASPARASAPONINS
Root:INULIN;KAEMPFEROL;OFFICINALISIN-II;QUERCETIN;RUTIN
Reference:
1.Asparagus Root is a highly regarded herb worldwide.
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