Hathawariya Queen of herb

valuable medicinal plant

by Dr. Lalith Gunasekera
The information written in the article is provided for educational purpose only
Plant Family: Asparagaceae
Botanical name: ASPARAGUS RACEMOSUS
Common names: Shatavari (India), sangavari (Tamil), kurilo (Nepal), wild asparagus
(English)

( December 14, 2015, Queensland, Sri Lanka

Guardian) The plant originated in Australia, India, Sri Lanka and the Himalays (Nepal).
The only Asparagus species native to Australia is Hathawariya. It is grows in
Queensland, Northern Territory and North parts of Western Australia (tropical climate).
But there are two other weed species that can be easily mistaken for hathawariya.

Hathavariya plant growing in a garden Mackay

Hathwariya a popular herb used in indigenous medicine in Sri Lanka and India and in
Ayurvedic, this amazing herb is known as Queens of herbs, because it promotes love
and devotion. In India, various languages have its own name for this plant species.
Shatavari is one of the popular name in India means who possesses a hundred
husband or acceptable to many. This may be because this plant has been used
traditionally for hundreds to thousands of years as a general female reproductive tonic
and hormonal balance by Ayurvedic healers.

Flowers
Hatawariya is a woody slender shrub or climbing perennial vine that can grow up to 4
metres tall and prefers to take root in gravelly, rocky soils up to 1300-1400 elevation.
The leaves are spine like and linear, small and uniform, acicular to filiform, 3-6 per axil,
10-30 mm long, 1 mm wide. Stem is slender, 2 cm in diameter with some curved
spines up to 1-5 mm long. The minute flowers are white, fragrance, on short, spiky
stems, single or paired and 4-6 mm in diameter. Flowering occurs from February
March.

Ripened Fruits
Globular berry (fruit) is 5-6 mm in diameter, initially green and then red when mature
with a single black seed. The plant has fibrous root system with long tubers.

Roots and tubers

Roots: Hathawariya is a species of asparagus with a long history of use in India and
other parts of Asia as a falk medicine. Many medicinal qualities of this plant have been
associated with phytonutrients present in its roots, and especially one type of
phytonutrients called saponins. If saponins in food have repeatedly been shown to
have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties, and their intake has also been
associated with improved blood pressure, improved blood sugar regulation, and better
control of blood fat levels.
Medicinal Uses
Hathawariya or Asparagus racemosus, has been used for centuries in Ayurveda as an
aid for the reproductive system, particularly for females, and as a support for the
digestive system. This support is not only for the young woman, but also for the middle

aged and elder lady, to help a woman gracefully transition through the natural phases
of life, including menopause.
The nutritive properties of hathawariya are used traditionally to support a number of
functions in the body.
Improve breast milk production
Treat bladder infections

Kola Kanda
Moisturising support of the respiratory tract
Promote healthy energy levels and strength
Supports the immune system
Healthy peristalsis of bowels
use for the treatment of diarrhoea and dysentery
Natural antioxidant and immune stimulant properties
Helps with pain, restless sleep, kidney disorders, chronic fever, excessive heat,
stomach ulcers and liver cancer.
Used for fluid retention, cancer, dementia, bronchitis and diabetes.
In Sri Lanka, Hathawariya is used to make porridge which is eaten in Sri Lankan
homes as well as make Kola Kanda (herbal soup) that is an herbal drink which is a
heavily used drink among Sri Lankans.
India is producing a root powder that is available in local and overseas markets. In
additional, herbal supplements in tablet and syrup forms have been made out of this
valuable herb.

Root powder, tablets and syrup

It is very important that people preserve this valuable herb for future. Small and
medium scale enterprises using hathawariya to manufacture products should make
every effort to increase the cultivation of the herb and ensure that the plant is
protected in its natural habitat.
( The writer is an invasive Plants Specialist, Mackay Queensland )
Posted by Thavam