Safed Musli: Asparagus adscendens Uses, Research, Side Effects

Musali- Asparagus adscendens  is a plant mentioned in Ayurveda for the treatment of erectile dysfunction, lack of libido and to improve the body’s stamina.

Latin name- Asparagus adscendens  Roxb.
Family- Liliaceae (Rasona kula)

Vernacular names

Mushli Names in different languages:
Hindi name – Safed musali, Safed Musli
Kannada name – Bili Mushali
Uttar Pradesh – Jhirna
English name – White musali
Marathi name – Safed musli
Gujarati name – Dholi musali, Ujali Musli
Tamil name – Tannir bittang
Telugu name – Sallogadda
Urdu name – Musli
Punjabi name – Syahoo Musli
Afghani name -Sakakulae

Uses, Sanskrit verse

Uses of Mushali: 

• The powder of root of Mushali is taken in a dose of 3-5 g and added with milk in conditions of low sperm count, lack of libido, general weakness, premature ejaculation
• The cold infusion of the root of Asparagus adscendens is given in a dose of 40-50 ml to treat burning micturition and difficulty in micturition.
• To improve the complexion of the skin, the powder of the root of Mushali is mixed with milk and honey and applied over the skin
• Tiredness due to diabetes, sexual weakness  – 10 grams is added with a cup of milk, boiled for 3 – 5 minutes, filtered. This is consumed in a dose of 20 – 30 ml, once or twice a day.
  It is also useful in leucorrhea, diarrhea and hematuria.
• Deafness – A churna of Musali and bakuchi to be taken with Ghee or honey.
• Mukhakanthi is a cosmetic to brighten the complexion of the face. Musali is prepared as a paste with goat’s milk or honey and applied locally over the face.
• Freckles – The root of Musali pounded with goat’s milk and mixed with honey is applied on the face
• As aphrodisiac – Powder of Musli root combined with Guduchi satva, Kapikacchu, Goksura, Salmali and Amalaki and suspended in milk added with Ghee should be taken. It arouses sex urges.

Traditional uses as per Ayurveda:
Guru – heavy to digest
Vrushya – aphrodisiac, improves vigor
Rasayani – anti aging, causes cell and tissue rejuvenation
Brumhana – nourishing, nutritious

Properties, part used, dosage

Medicinal properties of Mushali:
Rasa (Taste) – Madhura (Sweet), Tikta (Bitter)
Guna (Qualities) – Guru (Heavy for digestion), Snigdha (Slimy)
Vipaka – Madhura (Undergoes Sweet taste after digestion)
Veerya (Potency) – Sheeta (Cold)
Karma (Actions) – Vatapitta shamaka (reduces vitiated vata and pitta dosha), Kaphavardaka (increase kapha dosha)

Part used- Root
Dosage-
Root powder- 3 to 6 g

How long can Safed musli powder be taken?
Its powder in a dose of 2 – 5 grams once or twice a day, can be taken for a period of two months. After that, usually its dose is gradually reduced and stopped.

It is heavy in nature for digestion and hence prescribed after proper carmination or along with digestive medications

Home remedies

Important White Musli remedies:

Muscular dystrophy

Decoction or medicated milk of Shweta Musali in muscular dystrophy:
Fine powder of any variety of Musali is made into decoction or cooked with milk and medicated milk is prepared. This can be taken as such or with sugar candy. This is very effective in emaciating disorders, especially in muscular dystrophy.
General method of preparation of decoction (kashaya) – 1 tablespoon of powder is added with 2 cups of water, boiled and reduced to 1 cup, filtered.

For rejuvenation, vigor

Musli powder with milk or Gulkand or ghee for sexual vigor, rejuvenation and for bulk enhancing:
Fine powder of musli is used in the dose of 500 mg-2 gram along with Gulkhand or ghee or milk. This promotes sexual vigor, enhances the body strength and makes the body firm and stable.

Leucorrhoea, phosphaturia

Fine paste of the cooked Musali along with sugar candy for leucorrhoea, phosphaturia and fatigue:
1 tablespoon of Musali is cooked in a cup of milk and fine paste is made by adding a teaspoon of jaggery or sugar candy. This is administered as a food supplement, especially in children to improve immunity and muscle strength.
In adults also it can be used as a remedy to treat fatigue, emaciation, white discharge, phosphaturia, fatigue, back ache etc.

Hairline fractures

Fine paste application for hairline fractures (folklore practice):
In folklore practice the fine paste of the rhizomes of Musali is used to apply over the fractured lesions; traditional bone setters of Kerala and Tamil Nadu use this kind of bandage for its early healing.

Fine powder of Musali is used along with Kapikacchu – Mucuna pruriens (Mucuna pruriens),  Ashwagandha(Withania somnifera),  Gokshura (Tribulus terrestris), Tila (Sesamum indicum) etc in various rejuvenating and aphrodisiac preparations.

Musali herb can be used as a dietary supplement and is found to be safe for long term use (2 – 3 months time).
Click to consult Dr MS Krishnamurthy MD(Ayu), PhD

Chemical composition

Chemical composition of Asparagus adscendens:
The root yields asparagin. Sapogenins A and B, isolated from the root, were identi?ed as stigmasterol and sarsasapogenin.

Adverse effect

No adverse effect is known or reported after the normal use of Musali.

Interaction with medicines, supplements

Can this be used while taking Homeopathic medicine?
Yes. This product does not react with homeopathic medicine.

Can this medicine be continued while taking supplements like multivitamin tablets, Omega 3 fatty acids etc?
Yes. Generally, this product goes well with most dietary supplements. However, if you are taking more than one product per day, please consult your doctor for an opinion.

With western medicines
Seek your doctor’s advice if you are taking this product along with other western (allopathic / modern) medicines. Some Ayurvedic herbs can interact with modern medicine.
If both Ayurvedic and allopathic medicines are advised together, then it is best to take Allopathic medicine first, wait for 30 minutes and then take the Ayurvedic medicine.

Ayurvedic medicines

Ayurvedic medicines with Musli as ingredient:
Kaunch Pak: Used in male infertility treatment. It improves sperm count and quality.
Musli Khadiradi Kashayam: An Ayurvedic medicine used to treat a wide range of gynecological conditions like leucorrhoea and menorrhagia. It is an herbal decoction preparation. 

Xytone Capsules: It is used in the treatment of stress and associated symptoms.
Raja Malt – used for improving sexual strength and energy.

Sanskrit synonyms

Sanskrit Synonyms of Safed Musli
Talamuli- Root resembles the root of Tala
Talapatra, Talapatri – Leaf resembles the leaf of Tala plant
Vrushaskanda, Mahavrusha, Vrusya kandha – Tuberous having aphrodisiac properties
Hiranyapushpi – yellow coloured flowers
Kharjuri, Khalini, Gavali

Varieties

Safed Musli – Asparagus adscendens it is commonly used.
Kali Musli – Talamuli – Black Musli: Curculigo orchioides

Safed Musali is classified into two types:
Chlorophytum Laxum Br.
Chlotophytum Tuberosum Baker

Another type of musali is Chamara Musali.
Latin Name     – Ampelocissus Araneosa Planch
Family – Vitaceae

Morphology

Morphology of Asparagus adscendens:
Musali is a small plant growing to a height of 2-3 cm, having multiple roots. The stem is soft, slippery and white in color. The leaves are dark green, resembling that of a palm tree. The flowers are small, yellow in color and appear in the rainy season. The roots are white in color and soft in nature.

Classical categorization

Bhavaprakasha- Guduchyadi varga
Kaiyyadeva Nighantu- Oushadhi varga
Shodala Nighantu- Karaveeradi varga
Raja Nighantu- Moolakadi varga
Priya Nighantu – Saradi Varga
PV Sharma – Vrushyadi Varga, Shukrajanana

Classical references

Literary view of Mushali:
In the Vedas, the descriptions regarding the plant Musali are not available.
Asparagus the different varieties in Chara Samhitas: The descriptions regarding the plant Musali is not available.

In Sushruta Samhita: – As said, Chikitsa and Uttara Stana. In  Chikitsa Stana 7^th chapter and in Uttara Stana 51^st chapter.
Suchruta has mentioned the therapeutic efficiency of Musali. He has given therapeutic uses of Musali for Swadamstra(Krawncha, Oustra, Rasaba). In case of Swadamstra using a Talamuli along with Mula of Kadamba along with Sarkara to take with Usna Udaka(hot water)  – (Su. Sam. Chi. ⁷/₁₈)

Charma Vikaras -> using a kolamajja along with talamuli along with madhu(Su. U. Stana . ⁵¹/₃₈  )
In Astanga hridaya Vagbhata has not mentioned the plant Musali.

In Nigantu’s: 
Raja Nighantu has given synonyms, guna karma of Musali. In Dhanvantari Nighantu is not mentioned.
In Kariradeva Nighantu is mentioned in the guna and karma of Musli.
In Bhavaprakasha Nighantu is mentioned guna, karma, paryaya.
In similar priya Nighantu also we get the guna, karma and paryaya of Musli.
Most of the Nigantu’s give synonyms like Talamuli, Hemapuspee, Varahi, Ucchata, Soukari, Mahapuspa, Prana Pushpee and many more.

Distribution and habitat

Western Himalaya, Punjab, Gujarat, Madya Pradesh of India.
Common in Dunvalley, Siwalkies and Sal Forests in Uttar Pradesh Foot- Hills.
It is distributed in Afghanistan, the Punjab and in the Himalaya up to altitude of 6,300 feet.
Safed musli is available in large amounts in western Himalayan ranges, Gujarat, Punjab and Maharashtra. In recent years even in Karnataka and Kerala it is cultivated as a commercial crop.

Phytochemical studies

Tiwari and Misra have identified a new Glycoside 5, 7 – Dimethoxy Myricetin 3-0-2-L-Xylopyranosyl 4-0-B-D Glucopyranoside from the rhizome of  Curculigo Orchioides. The tubers of the plant contain free sugars 7.56%, Mucilage 8.12%, Hemicellulose 20.15%, and other Polysaccharides 17.01%.

Manufacturer:
Patanjali Swet Musli Churna – manufactured by Patanjali Ayurved Limited.

Author: Dr.B.K.Prashanth M.D (Ayu), Ph.D
E mail: drprashanthbk@gmail.com
Click to consult Dr Prashanth BK

Sthanika karma (Systemic Acton)

Internally
Reproductive system – Highly recommended in Oligospermia, impotence and in male infertility.
Excretory system – Increases urine output. Indicated in Dysuria, UTI Etc.
Satmikarana – Promote strength and bulk of the body. Rejuvenative. Indicated in Ikshumeha (Diabetes mellitus),as there is no starch content in this.