Chlorophytum Tuberosum

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in biology, Chlorophytum Tuberosum (Alias:Anthericum Tuberosum Latin:Chlorophytum tuberosum (Roxb.) Baker ) is a plant of Asparagaceae, Diuranthera, aflowering plant species. The plant generally grows along the forest margins, grassy slopes and rocky places along valleys (between 1300 and 2800 m). This is an erect plant growing up to a height of 1.5–2 ft with sheathing leaf base acute to acuminate with entire margin. The roots are tuberous with ellipsoid tubers hanging from them, 10-12 cm long and 1–1.9 cm in diameter. The tuberous roots are medicinally important and are known commonly as safed musali. Safed musali is used as an aphrodisiac and galactogogue as well as for its nutritive, health promoting properties and immunoenhancing, hepatoprotective and antioxidants activities. The tubers are also used in fever, leucorrhoea and also as an aphrodisiac.

lassification by IUCN and species is well known. None of these subspecies are listed.

Chlorophytum tuberosum is a herb usually growing up to 20–50 cm tall. Its underground parts comprise a short rhizome, often surrounded by fibres, which bears swollen roots with dark tubers to up 7 cm long at their tips.

Root tubers

fleshy, fascicled and directly originate from the stem disc devoid of any fibrous structure. The shape of tubers is cylindrical, the thickness is average 0.9 cm and the length 8cm.The number of tubers varies from plant to plant and on an average 5-30 tubers per plant are observed and slightly tapering towards lower side look like pestle. Due to its extensive use, it is naturally an endangered plant.

Leaves

The leaves are borne in a rosette and are linear-lanceolate, 10–50 cm long and 1–3 cm wide.

Flowers

The flowers are borne in a simple raceme with two flowers at each node. The flowers are large, white, showy and sweetly-scented and there is no differentiation between the petals and sepals (hence known as tepals). C. tuberosum is the only species within the genus which has tepals that are more than seven-veined (they are 10–14-veined). The stamens are shorter than the tepals.

Fruits

The fruits are three-edged capsules containing seeds 2 mm in diameter.

The tuber had a total ash content of 12.6%, the acid insoluble ash being 5.6%. The values of percentage extractives were higher in chloroform and lower in benzene solvent . Fluorescence analysis was carried out to check the purity of the drug. The powder drug was observed in visible light as yellowish brown in color. The powder was treated with nitrocellulose, 1 N sodium hydroxide, 1 N sodium hydroxide in nitrocellulose and dried for 30 min.

Qualitative analysis of the root indicated the presence of proteins, reducing and non-reducing sugars, saponins, fats, tannin, glycoside and alkaloids . The quantity of proteins is higher than saponins and carbohydrates . Saponins are the important chemical and justify the use of tubers of this plant and are used as a well-known health tonic, aphrodisiac and galactogogue. In HPTLC study, the methanolic extract is ultrasonic for 15 min and filtered. The filtrate is used as an application for saponins and stegmasteroids. For each application 20 μl, 10 μl and 5 μl extracts were used and loaded on instrument comprising of Linomat 5 for application using Densitometer-TLC Scanner 3 with “WINCATS” software (Camag, Switzerland). These studies were carried out on pre-coated aluminum fluorescent plates (E. Merck).

Chlorophytum tuberosum is a herb usually growing up to 20–50 cm tall. Its underground parts comprise a short rhizome, often surrounded by fibres, which bears swollen roots with dark tubers to up 7 cm long at their tips.      

edible value

World wide use: Tuberous root or rhizome

medicinal value

Strengthens immunity: In asthma patients it boosts the energy. Roots are used for strengthening the body’s immune system.

Pregnancy: The herb is used as nutritive tonic for fetus and mother both. The herb replenishes the fluids of body during parturition.

Obesity: It controls and prevents obesity. It also helps in prevention of side-effects related to obesity.

Diabetes: The herb is an effective cure for arthritis and diabetes.

Leucorrhea: The herb is used in treatment of chronic leucorrhea and prevents premature ejaculation.

Consumption of this herb increases HDL (or production of good cholesterol).

Regular intake of the herb reduces hepatic lipid profiles and plasma.

Nutritional and medicinal information

Safed Musli has very good Ayurvedic medicinal use. It is rich source of over 25 alkaloids, vitamins, minerals, proteins, carbohydrates, steroid, seponins and polysaccharides etc. A number of Health tonics (Sexual tonics) are prepared from Safed Musli.

Used for Sexual weakness, low libido, low sperm count etc. It is also found to be effective as a energetic one in cases of cough and asthma. Primarily used as a tonic and rejuvenative for the reproductive system. For premature ejaculation, impotence, low sperm count in men. Also used in chronic leucorrhoea. Useful during pregnancy as a nutritive tonic for mother and fetus. Post-partum it replenishes lost fluids, prana, ojas and improves the quantity and flow of breast milk.