Shatavari Churna For Healthy Female Reproductive System

Shatavari churna is an Ayurvedic medicine which contain Root Powder of the plant Asparagus racemosus (Satavar, Shatavari, or Shatamuli) and used in the treatment of female reproductive system related problems, improving fertility and weakness.

In Ayurveda, Shatavari or Shatavar refers to roots of Asparagus racemosus. Shatavari literally means who possesses a hundred of husbands or acceptable to many. Shatavari is considered Queen of herbs and is the primary herb recommended for female health.

The roots Shatavari contain a series of steroidal saponins, the shatavarins and others, based on sarsapogenin, diosgenin and arasapogenin. The polycyclic alkaloid asparagamine A, benzofurans such as racemofuran and racemosol, and the isoflavone 8-methoxy-5,6,4″-trihydroxyisoflavone 7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside are also present. It improves overall health and body immunity. Shatavar is used to treat infertility in both sexes, to increase sexual vigour, for urinary and kidney diseases, strangury and retention of urine.

• Synonyms: Asparagus racemosus Powder, Shatavar Powder
• Availability:  Online and at medical stores
• Type of medicine: Classical Medicine
• Part Used: Root of Asparagus racemosus
• Main Indication: Increasing lactation and uterine disorder
• Energetics: Sweet, bitter-cold-sweet
• Dosha Effects: Reduces Pitta and Vata BUT increases Kapha, Ama in excess
• Tissues: All Systems: Circulatory, digestive, reproductive, respiratory

Pregnancy and Lactation

No adverse effects expected. As a safety measure use with caution and within the recommended dose range.

Ayurvedic Action / Karma

Shatavar is bitter, sweet in taste (Rasa), sweet after digestion (Vipaka), and is cool in effect (Virya).

It is a Sheet Virya herb.  Sheet Virya or Cool potency herb, subdues Pitta (Bile) Vata (Wind) and increases Kapha (Mucus). Sheet Virya herb gives nourishment to the body and steadiness.  It supports the building of the body fluids.

• Rasa (taste on the tongue): Madhura (Sweet), Tikta (Bitter)
• Guna (Pharmacological Action): Guru (Heavy), Snigdha (Unctuous)
• Virya (Action): Shita (Cooling)
• Vipaka (transformed state after digestion): Madhura (Sweet)

It is Madhur Vipak (digests into sweet) and has building, moistening and a nourishing effect on the body. It is heavy to digest and reduces metabolism. Such herbs are cooling and reduce swelling, decreases Pitta and have Anabolic effect on the body.

Shatavari is heavy, cold, bitter, nutritive. It relieves vata and Pitta and is a Rasayana.

Action

• Brinhana: Nourishes the body due to heavy, cold, fine, unctuous, viscid properties.
• Shukravardhana: Promotes the formation and increases the quantity of semen.
• Stanyajanana: Increases breast-milk.

Biomedical Action

1. Adaptogenic: Stabilization of physiological processes and promotion of homeostasis. Anti-bacterial
2. Antidiarrheal: Gives relief in diarrhea.
3. Antidysenteric: Prevents and treats dysentery.
4. Anti–inflammatory: Reducing inflammation by acting on body mechanisms.
5. Antimicrobial: Active against microbes.
6. Antioxytocic: Countering uterine contractions, thus delaying childbirth.
7. Aphrodisiac:  Stimulates sexual desire.
8. Demulcent: Relieving inflammation or irritation.
9. Diuretic: Promoting excretion of urine/agent that increases the amount of urine excreted.
10. Female reproductive Tonic, Sexual tonic
11. Galactagogue: Promotes or increases the flow of a mother’s milk.
12. Immunomodulatory: Modifies the immune response or the functioning of the immune system.
13. Nutritive: Providing nourishment, nutritious.
14. Spasmolytic: Able to relieve spasm of smooth muscle.
15. Spermatogenic: Promotes process in which spermatozoa are produced from spermatogonial stem cells.

Benefits of Shatavari Churna

1. Compounds found in Shatavar works like hormone and show extremely beneficial effect in the treatment of many known gynecological problems related to hormonal imbalances in the body of the women.
2. It is phytoestrogenic properties and acts like estrogen on oral intake.
3.  It is extremely beneficial in correcting menstrual irregularities in women like dysmenorrhoea, pre-menstrual syndrome, irregular bleeding, etc.
4. It is a fetal tonic.
5. It is galactagogue.
6. It is a main rejuvenative tonic for females. It works as a Rasayana in threatened abortion, menorrhagia and suppressed lactation.
7. It is useful in leucorrhoea and agalactia (failure of the secretion of milk).
8. It balances the pH of the cervical area.
9. It supports proper development of the body to make it more energetic.
10. Shatavari is nourishing soothing, cooling, lubricating, useful in conditions when the body and mind are overheated, depleted or out of balance.

Important Therapeutic Uses of Shatavari Churna

1. Blood purification
2. Diarrhoea and dysentery
3. Duodenal ulcers, dyspepsia, heartburn, gastritis, colitis, crohn’s disease and irritable bowel syndrome
4. Female reproductive tonic
5. Immunosuppression
6. Infections
7. Infertility in both sexes
8. Low libido/impotence
9. Menopause
10. Nutritive tonic
11. Promotes conception for sexual debility in both sexes
12. Promotes lactation
13. Threatened miscarriage (traditionally)

The Dosage of Shatavari Churna

The recommended dosage of medicine is 3-30 gram per day.

• In Pitta Roga, 5 g of this root with honey and ghee is given twice daily.
• In Vata Roga, take an equal quantity of Asparagus and long pepper and use 5 g with honey twice
• daily.
• For leucorrhoea, 5–10 g of Shatavari Churna is taken with an equal amount of ghee and afterwards sweet, warm milk id taken. This treatment is done twice daily for 40 days.
• Pregnant ladies and lactating mothers, can take 5-10 grams of Powder with warm milk.

In female disorders, it can be taken alone. But in disorders of male, it is taken with other ingredients. For example, in male infertility Shatavar is taken with Talamkhana and Safed Musli. Intake of 8–10 g of this compound powder per day with milk and sugar, for three months helps in oligospermia, necrospermia and with less motile, unhealthy sperm. It considerably improves the number and motility of the sperm. When this is taken continuously for three months, the sperms becomes normal.

Or take as directed by a doctor.

Pharmacies Making Shatavari Churna

You can buy this medicine online or from medical stores. Since it is a classical medicine, it is manufactured by many Ayurvedic pharmacies.

Name of some of the Ayurvedic Pharmacies manufacturing this medicine is given below:

1. Patanjali Divya Pharmacy Shatavar Churna
2. BAPS Shatavari Churna
3. Vyas Shatavari Churna
4. and many other Ayurvedic pharmacies.

Suggestions, Contraindications, Interactions, Side-effects, and Warnings

1. While taking Shatavar, avoid non-vegetarian or heavy food, meals which are hot in nature, tobacco, sleeping during the day, excessive work, and exercise.
2. It is completely safe to take this medicine in recommended doses.
3. It has estrogen like effect.
4. Don’t take in case of acute lung congestion, high kapha, low digestive fire, high ama.
5. It may increase weight when taken for a longer duration.
6. As Shatavari acts on hormones and increases estrogen level, avoid using for the long duration.
7. It may have additive effects with conventional antidiabetic drugs, and may alter the absorption of a number of drugs by delaying gastric emptying.
8. Do not use if congested or with Ama.
9. Effectivity of herbal medicine depends on many factors. A medicine suitable for one person may not essentially give the same result in another person.
10. Exact dose depends on the age, strength, digestive power of the patient, the nature of the illness, the state of the viscera and humours, and the properties of individual drugs.
11. Keep away from the sight and reach of children.