Asparagus officinalis.

Botanical name: 

ASPARAGUS OFFICINALIS, L. Sparrow Grass. Cultivated, often spontaneous. The shoots a well known vernal luxury, very healthy, diuretic, giving a strong smell to urine, purifying the blood, pectoral, sedative, and sudorific; but the excessive use is said to bring on gout. The root and seeds are aperient, diuretic, aphrodisiac, &c. useful in gravel, nephritis, &c. A peculiar substance, asparagine, found in them. Valuable diet in many diseases of the breast, heart, kidneys and bladder, it allays the inordinate action of the heart. A syrup made with the green part of the shoots, is useful when out of season. Alcohol is made with the berries.


Medical Flora, or Manual of the Medical Botany of the United States of North America, Vol. 2, 1830, was written by C. S. Rafinesque.