SAFED MUSALI

Introduction

    Safed Musli is a herb with sub-erect lanceolate leaves and tuberous root system. It can grow upto a maximum height of 1.5 ft. Tubers can grow upto a depth of 10". Safed Musli is a tiny annual herb that grows well in tropical and sub-tropical climates with altitudes upto 1500 meters. Safed Musli has its origin in the India Subcontinent. 

    Safed Musli is an annual herb with Tubers, Crown, Leaf and Flowers as different parts. Naturally occurs in forests of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Maharastra Stateswhich are listed in the endangered species of India. There are around 256 varieties of Chlorophytum in the world which are yet known.

    Safed Musli belongs to family of Liliaceae. It was originally grown in thick forest in natural form, and is a traditional medicinal plant. Mainly its tuberous roots are used in ayurvedic medicines. Roots are used for the preparation of nutritive tonic used in general sexual weakness. These roots contain spermatogenetic, spermatorrhoea and chronic leucorrhoea due to some chemical content. It is partly a herb with sub-erect lanceolate leaves. Nowadays, there is a very vast demand all over the world (Specially gulf countries and cold countries). Due to its vast demand it is very costly.      

                         

Technical Specifications                                                                          

Hindi name of the Crop - Safed Musli 
Botanical name - Chlorophytum Borivilianum 
Application / Use - Tonic 
Growth of roots - Tubberous 
Seeds : Black triangular two seeds present in single locule
Class : Monocotyledons
Series : Coronarieae
Family : Liliaceae
Genus : Chlorophytum
Species : Borivilianum
Nature and Discription of Safed Musli
Carbohydrates (35-45%)
Proteins (5-10%)
Fibre (25-35%)
Saponins (2-20%)

Alkaloids (15-25%)                                                                                                                                  The Saponins and Alkaloids present in the plant are the primary source of its significant medicinal properties.                                                                                                                                      

Vernacular Names

Shaqaqule - (In Arabic)
Dholi Musli - (In Gujrati)
Khiruva - (In Hindi - U.P.)
Safed Musli - (In Marathi)
Shedheveli - (In Malyalam)
Swetha Musli - (In Sanskrit)
Swetha Musli - (In Telgu)                                                                     Taniravi Thang - (In Tamil)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Uses of Safed Musali                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  In the Ayurvedic literature, Safed Musli is celebrated as a Divya Aushad with unparalleled medicinal properties. It is a chief ingredient in the preparation of over a hundred Ayurvedic formulations. Besides its extensive use in Ayurveda and other conventional medicinal systems in Asia, Safed Musli is also gaining increasing acceptance as a vitalizer and health-giving tonic, a curative for pre-natal and post-natal problems, a restorative for immunity-improvement and as a remedy for diabetes and arthritis.

    Alongside, the recent discovery of Safed Musli as a natural and safe aphrodisiac agent has also opened up new channels of application and new demand for it. By virtue of being a herb, Safed Musli has been found to be an ideal aphrodisiac with no negative side-effects associated with chemical-based aphrodisiac. Realizing it, the Gujarat State Forest Development Corporation has lately launched a Safed Musli-based potency drug named Nai Chetna, which is gradually gaining acceptance as a superior alternative to The Indian Herbagra.                       

     The recent times have been a witness to the resurgence of medicinal plants in human healthcare. The spiraling popularity of plant-derived healthcare products can be traced to the advent of 'green health boom' across the world.

     Apart from its gradually growing use in pharmaceutical, phytopharmaceutical and nutraceutical companies, medicinal plants are finding increasing use as raw material in diverse industries- cosmetics, detergents, dyes, insecticides, paints etc. By virtue of being the home of Ayurveda, India has naturally been a huge market for Safed Musli. In addition, increasing awareness and appreciation of the 'natural goodness' of herbal products across the world has bolstered the demand for Safed Musli.

    Many countries in the Gulf, Europe and USA have traditionally been the major importers of the dry roots of Safed Musli for its use in the making of an assorted range of herbal products.

   Among the numerous uses and usage of Safed Musli, the most important of them include the following:

* For therapeutic application in Ayurveda, Unani and Allopathic medicines. 
* As a curative for physical weakness and many illnesses. 
* As a curative for natal and post-natal problems. 
* As an aphrodisiac agent and vitalizer. 
* As an effective alternative to The Indian Herbagra. 
* As a general sex tonic. 
* As an Immunity-improving drug. 
* As a remedy for diabetes. 
* As a remedy for arthritis.

                                                                                                                            

   


   

  

YARSHAGUMBA

        Nicknamed the "Himalayan Viagra", yarshagumba (Cordyceps sinensis) is a rare species of parasitic fungus from the highlands of Nepal, Tibet and Bhutan.

Yarshagumba
Cordyceps sinensis: (Yarshagumba) Yarshagumba
Venacular name: Yarsagumba, Jibanbuti
Family: Clavicipitaceae
Distribution: Sub-alpine to alpine region of Nepal
Habitat: Meadows                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   arsagumba with its Latin name cordyceps sinesis literally means summer plant and winter insect in Tibetan. Before the rainy season begins, spores of the cordyceps mushroom settle on the heads of caterpillars’ that lives underground. The fungus gets so much into the body of the caterpillars’ that it grows out through its head and drains all the energy from the insect and ultimately it dies.

Yarsagumba, Yarshagumba or Yarchagumba is a rare and unique herb that grows in the meadows above 3,500 meters (11,483 feet) in the Himalayan region of Nepal. There are various types of famous medicinal plants found in Nepal but the popularity of yarsagumba is simply overwhelming. For the last couple of years, the trade of yarsagumba is increasing and it has been regarded as an expensive life saving tonic. Headache, toothache or any other disease - yarsagumba is the remedy. And not only that, it is also believed to be a cure for sexual impotency – a Himalayan Herbal Viagra.

Every year during May and June, thousands of villagers from remote areas risking their own lives head for high mountains to collect yarsagumba. It is estimated that one villager can earn up to Rs. 2,500 approximately to $35 a day by collecting yarsagumba which is beyond the monthly salary of many Nepalese households. Dolpa – a remote district in western Nepal with high steep valleys and dry climate is one of the foremost areas for collecting yarsagumba. Almost 50% of the annual supply of yarsagumba comes from Dolpa alone. Here, not only the adults but school goers also take unofficial holidays in search of the gold rush.

The Himalayan region of Nepal is famous for different types of medicinal plants. Yarshagumba is one of them. The literal meaning of Yarshagumba is summer plants, winter insect. Yarshagumba is currently very popular due to its use as aphrodisiac (sex stimulant) and tonic. Hence its collection and trade is increasing. Considering its importance, the Department of Plant Resources included a programme named as "Study of Yarshagumba in the natural habitat" in its overall programmes. Yarshgumba in Dolpa district. They covered the natural extent of distribution between 2800-4500 meters.

Details of field based information:
Occurrence : 2800-4500 meters
Availability : 2500 plants per hectare
Soil quality : pH 7-7.5
Associated plants : Rhododendron anthopogon, Anemone sp., Anaphalis sp.,Carese sp., etc.
Collection time: April/May – June/July
Germination time : April – June/July
Weight : 0.3 to 0.5 gm. per plant
Resercah need: The Department is attempting to culture fungus from spores on the Yarshagumba


Yarshagumba trade
Yarsagumba collection in Bajhang-Nepal Himalaya
FUGs are now responsible for collecting entry charges from harvesters (NRs. 100 per collector) and a further conservation charge (NRs. 5,000 per kg) is levied. In the first year alone, the groups collected over NR800,000 (US$12,500). Following initial difficulties in collecting the charges, the FUGs set up four teams of younger group members to guard the entry points to the harvesting areas and enforce the fees. The fee income has been used to develop a micro-hydropower plant, benefiting all three FUGs.
Selling Yarshagumba tonic without any side effects
Yarshagumba (sex tonic) is currently very popular due to its use as aphrodisiac (sex stimulant) and tonic.

Known benefits and it is also use for

1) Asthma, allergic rhinitis* -poor renal function, renal injuries by chemicals** -chronic bronchitis, coughing
2)poor resistance of respiratory tract, catching flu easily -regulating blood pressure (high or low blood pressure)
3)Anti-aging, weakness: - the declining of sex drive -lowering raised blood lipid levels, strengthening the body's immunity 
4)Poor function of lungs & kidneys, irregular menstruation
5)Ever heard anything about natural healthy warrior!

We mean you can fight with tiredness stand youth with the harmony of nature.

The New York journal of medicine reported that cordyceps has properties similar to ginseng, being used to strengthen the body after exhaustion or long term illness. It has traditionally been used for impotence, backache, to increase sperm production and to increase blood production. It is used specifically for excess tiredness, chronic cough and asthma, impotence, debility, anemia, to build the bone marrow and reduce excess phlegm.