Native to Europe, the Middle East, western Siberia, and northern Africa, asparagus has grown so popular as an elegant vegetable that it is now cultivated worldwide. It also has a centuries'-long history of use in herbal medicine.

The sweet edible stalks, or shoots, are green, with either a white or a bluish-red tinge. The plant sports fernlike foliage, yellow-green flowers, and brightred berries. Asparagus root, the part most often used medicinally, consists of the plant's fresh underground shoots along with the rhizome and roots, which are dug up and air-dried in autumn. Extracts of the seeds and roots are sometimes used as flavorings in alcoholic beverages.

Historically, asparagus has been used to treat such wide-ranging ailments as toothaches, cancer, parasites, and rheumatism. Traditional Chinese healers treat cough, dry mouth and throat, and constipation with asparagus formulations. The root is also a mild Diuretic, which draws water from the system and increases urination.

Research supports the use of asparagus root primarily for conditions of the urinary tract and kidneys, largely on the basis of animal studies that indicate it functions as a mild diuretic. This means it draws fluid out of the body by increasing urination. The Commission e monographs, Germany's extensive catalog of herbal medicines, specifically recommends asparagus root for these purposes.

The root also contains substances called saponins believed to have Antibiotic properties. Testtube studies indicate that asparagus may even have cancer-fighting properties.

Specifically, asparagus root may help to:

Ease urinary tract Inflammation. When the bladder and urinary tract are inflamed, increased urination can help to flush out irritating substances, possibly including bacteria associated with infections in this area.

Prevent kidney stones. Increased urination is important for preventing painful kidney stones; as urine output increases, the urine itself becomes more diluted, which helps prevent the crystallization of minerals that causes most stones. In fact, asparagus root is commonly used as a component of popular alternative "irrigation therapies" designed to prevent stone formation.

Special tips:

--When using asparagus root as a diuretic, it's very important to drink plenty of water to help literally "flush" the urinary tract.

To relieve urinary tract inflammation: Take 1 teaspoon (5 ml) liquid Extract diluted in 1/4 cup of water four times a day.

To prevent kidney stones: Take 1 teaspoon liquid extract diluted in water twice a day OR 2 capsules twice a day.

Although asparagus Herb (the stalk and fernlike foliage) has also been found to increase urine production and therefore act as a diuretic, its actions are much weaker than that of the root.

There are no known supplement or nutrient interactions associated with asparagus root.

An interesting result of taking asparagus root can be a distinctive odor in the urine. If this is the case for you, don't worry--it's harmless. According to one study of 800 volunteers, about 40% of people have this reaction. The latest findings indicate that it's more likely the ability to detect the odor--rather than the tendency to generate it--that is at play. Researchers speculate that those who smell it have inherited a specific genetic trait.

If you have fluid retention (edema) from kidney disease or heart disease, do not take medicinal-strength asparagus root.