Indian Journal of Natural Products and Resources Vol. 1 (1), March 2010, pp 57-62 Pharmacognostical studies on the root tubers of Asparagus gonoclados Baker –Alternate source for the Ayurvedic drug Shatavari V Madhavan 1 , Ranajit Damodhar Tijare 1 , R Mythreyi 1 , M R Gurudeva 2 and S N Yoganarasimhan 1 * 1 Department of PG Studies and Research in Pharmacognsoy, M S Ramaiah College of Pharmacy, Bangalore-560 054, Karnataka, India 2 Department of Botany, V V Pura College of Science, Bangalore -560 004 Received 14 October 2008; Accepted 8 May 2009 Asparagus gonoclados Baker is an important medicinal plant belonging to the family Liliaceae (sensu lato). Many species of Asparagus Linn. including A. gonoclados are used as substitute of the well known Ayurvedic drug, Shatavari. Root tubers of Shatavari possesses adaptogenic, antioxidant, cooling, emollient, diuretic, galactagogue, nervine tonic, rejuvenating, and stomachic properties; they are useful in treatment of diseases like diarrhoea, dysentery, dyspepsia, epilepsy, fatigue, inflammations, nervous disorders, tumours and tuberculosis. The present study provides taxonomy of the species, pharmacognostical and physico-chemical details of the root tubers of A. gonoclados. This helps in laying down standardisation and pharmacopoeial parameters. Presence of Shatavarin IV in the alcohol and aqueous extracts is reported in this species for the first time. Keywords: Asparagus gonoclados, HPTLC, Pharmacognosy, Physico-chemical analysis, Root tubers, Shatavarin IV. IPC code; Int. cl. 8  A61K 36/00, A61K 36/8965, A61K 125/00 Introduction Shatavari is a well known Ayurvedic drug 1 . The accepted botanical source 2 of Shatavari is Asparagus racemosus Linn. However, many other species of Asparagus including A. gonoclados Baker are used as Shatavari 3, 4 . Fasciculated tuberous roots of Shatavari is considered as one of the Rasayana (adaptogenic) drugs, having cooling, diuretic, emollient, galactagogue, nervine tonic, rejuvenating and stomachic properties 5 ; they are useful in treatment of diseases like nervous disorders, dyspepsia, diarrhoea, dysentery, tumours, inflammations, tuberculosis, epilepsy and fatigue to mention a few 6, 7 . The drug Shatavari is used in nearly 67 Ayurvedic preparations like Anuthaila, Brahma rasayana, Dhanwan- thararishta, Mahathikthaka kashaya, Narayana thaila, Rasnadi kashaya, Sahacharadi thaila, Saraswatharishta, Shatavari panaka, Shatavari ghritha, Shatamulyadi lehya, Vasishtha rasayana and Vidaryadi ghritha to mentiona a few 8, 9 . The genus Asparagus Linn. (Family  Liliaceae sensu lato) consists of 300 species all over the world, out of which 20 are found in India 10 . A. gonoclados contains apigenin, kaempferol, rutin and chalcone glycoside; flowers contain anthocyanin, malvin and asparagines 4, 5 ; and aerial parts contain 4,4’,6-trihydroxy-auronone 11, 12 . Pharmacognostical investigation with macerate and powder study details on the root tubers of A. gonoclados which help in identification of crude drug besides reporting of Shatavarin IV, in this species is not available 13-16 and hence the present study was taken up by us. Materials and Methods Fresh root tubers were collected from forests situated in between Madikeri and Sakaleshpura, Kodagu district, Karnataka during March, 2006, preserved in 70% ethyl alcohol for histological studies. Botanical identification was carried out using local floras 17, 18 , identified by Dr S N Yoganarasimhan, Plant Taxonomist, authenticated at the herbarium of Regional Research Institute (Ayurveda), Bangalore. Voucher herbarium specimen 19 (Anil Kumar Tijare 009) was prepared and preserved along with crude drug sample at the herbarium of M S Ramaiah College of Pharmacy, Bangalore. Pharmacognostical evaluation like histochemical and macerate studies were carried out by taking free hand sections following Johansen 20 , Wallis 21 and powder studies following Evans 22 . Photomicrographs were obtained by observing free hand sections of drug under compound binocular _____________ *Correspondent author, E-mail: dr_yogan@yahoo.co.in