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Introduction   Common Name   Safed musli Plant   Chemical Constituents   Cultivation   History   Safed musli as Medicinal Herb   Safed musli other uses   Safed musli Benefits   Economics   Recent research       Introduction:    Safed musli ( Chlorophytum borivilianum) is found in tropical climates of the world. It is found mainly in India, America, and Australia. Safed Musli is a traditional medicinal plant in India. Its tuberous roots are used to prepare herbal products and ayurvedic medicines, especially a nutritive tonic used for curing general sexual weakness. It is a rich source of over 25 alkaloids, vitamins, minerals, proteins, carbohydrates, steroid and polysaccharides. The demand of safed musli is all over world which has made it famous by such names as "Indian Viagra", "Roots of gold", "Herbal Viagra", "The wonder crop" etc. The most noted benefits of Safed musli ( Chlorophytum borivilianum) is it's use in treating sexual deficiencies. It has been used for years to treat libido and infertility problems.             Common Name:    Family Name- Liliaceae       Latin  -        Chlorophytum Borivilianum    English -     Land-calotrops     Hindi -         Safed Moosli,  Dholi Musli, Khiruva   Sanskrit -     Swetha Musli   Tamil    -      Taniravi Thang   Telgu       -   Swetha Musli    Malayalam-  Shedheveli    Marathi     -  Safed Musli    Gujarati    -  Dholi Musli      Arabic     -   Shaqaqule

Safed musli Plant:    Safed musli ( Chlorophytum borivilianum) is a  a medicinal plant, with small, usually white flowers, produced on sparse panicles up to 120 cm long. It can grow up to a maximum height of 1.5 ft. Tubers can grow up to a depth of 10 inches.       More than 175 species of "Chlorophytum" have been reported in the world. /Chloophytum comosum is widely used as ornamental plant where it is commonly known as spider ivy, spider plant, aeroplane plant, or walking anthericum.   Around sixteen different varieties have been identified to be found in the Indian Sub-Continent. Depending on the significant medicinal properties, Chlorophytum borivilianum, a particular variety of Safed Musli has got maximum demand and commercial value. The  main 8 types of Safed Musli are * 1. Chlorophytum borivillianum  * 2. Chlorophytum arundinaceum  * 3. Chlorophytum tuberocum  * 4. Chlorophytum malabericum  * 5. Chlorophytum attenuatum  * 6. Chlorophytum breviscapum  * 7. Asparagus filicinus  * 8. A gonoclados     Leaves: Sessile or short petiolate, with sheathing bases, 15 to 45 cms. by 1.5 2.5 cms., liner or linear lanceolate, membranous, glabrous or sparsely softly hairy. The leaf tip in contact with soil produces adventitious roots.    Flowers : white   Fruit: The seeds are black in colour and with angular edges. Capsule, 4-seeded with a slender beak and spongy septa, seeds oblong, black and shiny with crustaceans testa. Root stock stout, short or elongate,  cylindrical, 4 to 15 cm. long, average being 7.4 cm., 0.5- 1. cm. wide.               Chemical Constituents:   Safed Musli contains carbohydrates (35-45%), fiber (25-35%), alkaloids (15-25%), saponins (2-20%), and proteins (5-10%). It is a rich source of over 25 alkaloids, vitamins, proteins, carbohydrates, steroids, saponins, potassium, calcium, magnesium, phenol, resins, mucilage, and polysaccharides and also contains high quantity of simple sugars, mainly sucrose, glucose, fructose, galactose, mannose and xylose.    Cultivation    Soil and Climate: Safed Musli requires well drained loamy to sandy loam soils rich in organic matter. Warm and humid climatic condition with good amount of soil moisture during the growing season favour luxuriant vegetative growth and facilitate fleshy root development.    Planting:  Safed Musali could be propagated through seeds as well as by vegetative means (root-stock bearing buds or growing points). Planting by seeds  take 12-16 days to sprout. The seeds should be sown in a very well prepared seed bed which is heavily manured by using FYM or leaf litter in the first or second week of June and adequate moisture should be continuously maintained during absence of rain in early part of the season. The seedlings can be transplanted in the field during the next Kharif season only at 30x15 cm spacing because the development of plants as well as roots by means of seeds in the first year is not vigorous enough as compared the vegetatively propagated plants.    Vegetative propagation: The initiation of sprouts of fleshy roots starts in mid May or in the last week of April.  In the forest seedlings emerge out from the ground within 4-6 days after receipt of rains. Even a small, 1 cm long and slightly shrinken fleshy roots or root stocks has a capacity to reproduce into new plants. These fleshy roots sprout from second week of May to second week of June.      Manure and Fertiliser: The use of 10-15 ton of FYM/ha provide good nutrient for supporting healthy plant growth.    Irrigation: Safed Musali  crop may be sown after receipt of rains. If there is no rains after sowing of fleshy root propagules and its transplanting then one irrigation be provided immediately. Later irrigation may be done after 10 to 15 days interval.    Weeding: One to two weeding-cum-hoeings are needed to keep the soil porous and free of weedy growth.    Harvesting: The crop matures in about 90 days under cultivation. At maturity the leaves start yellowing and ultimately dry up from the collar part and fall down  which occurs in the months of September/October. During digging of plants, fleshy root bunches should be lifted form the soil. The harvested fleshy roots are cleaned and skin is removed. The white musalitubers obtained are dried spread in the shade for about 4-7 days to dry-out its moisture.

History    Safed musli ( Chlorophytum borivilianum) is a traditional Ayurvedic medicine since ancient times. According to Bhavprakash ( The Ayurvedic Text) the drug is sweet, cooling, mucilaginous increases Kapha and reduces `Pitta daha and acts as stimulant, it gives strength.  Mush prepared as a paste with goats milk or honey and applied locally over the face, brightens the complexion of the face. It is extensively used by the Ayurvedic practitioners for a wide variety of ailments and particularly an ingredient of aphrodisiac preparations.     Safed musli as Medicinal Herb   Safed musali ( Chlorophytum borivilianum)  is a traditional rare Indian medicinal herb which has many therapeutic applications in Ayurvedic, Unani, Homeopathic and Allopathic system of medicine. Its roots (tubers) are widely used for various therapeutic applications. Safed Musli is used to cure physical illness and weakness, as an aphrodisiac agent and revitalizer, as general sex tonic, remedy for diabetes, arthritis and increasing body immunity, curative for natal and postnatal problems, for rheumatism and jointpains, increase lactation in feeding mothers, as antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antitumor agent, also used in diarrhea, dysentery, gonorrhea, leucorrhea etc.    Safed musli ( Chlorophytum borivilianum)  has spermatogenic property and is found useful in curing impotency, now it is considered as an alternative 'Viagra'. Its root contains steroidal and triterpenoidal saponins, sapogenins and fructans which act as therapeutic agents and play vital role in many therapeutic applications.    Safed musli other uses    The main use of Safed musli ( Chlorophytum borivilianum) is to increase Male and Female Libido and a Fitness Supplement       Safed musli Benefits   * Safed musli is often prescribed for enhancing male potency and overcoming signs of fatigue. It is particularly used for individuals with low sperm count and low libido. * Safed musali is an energy booster in asthmatic conditions and its root used to strengthen the general immune system of the body.  * Safed Musli has anti-ageing properties. It rejuvenates the "whole" body and mind without any side effects. * The tuber roots of the Safed musli plant used as a nutritive tonic for sexual weakness . * Safed musli proves useful as a nutritive tonic for both the mother and the fetus, during pregnancy.  * The herb improves the quantity and flow of breast milk, in feeding mothers. * Safed musli is used to control and prevent obesity and its side effects. * The activities of vitamin C and antioxidant enzymes are also enhanced by the use of Safed musli * Research has shown that the plant species is used for curing diabetes and arthritic conditions. * Safed musli is also beneficial in the treatment of natal and postnatal problems. * Safed musali regular use causes increase in the level of  HDL or good cholesterol  and decrease in the plasma and hepatic lipid profiles. * The  regular use of root powder prevents premature ejaculation and also used in chronic leucorrhoea. * It is a powerful aphrodisiac agent for men and is used for curing male reproductive system disorders like impotence, low sperm count and premature ejaculation etc.                                                                                                                                                               Economics    The global markets of Safed Musli are in U.S.A. Britain,European countries, Australia, Japan and even China.  Japan and China have the highest per capita consumption of botanical medicines in the world. Safed Musli have *annual demand around 35000 MT while only 15000 MT is produced*. Safed musli ( Chlorophytum borivilianum) root powder  is in great demand for power and sexual energy capsules.  Safed musali increase energy, provide healthy hormone function, enhance muscle movement and widely used in  Ayurvedic medicines.    The worldís demand of Safed Musli is over 50,000 Tons, and is much higher than present production, which is less than 5,000 Tons in various farmlands in India. Best Nutrition Products U.S.A is seriously looking for farmers who would like to grow these medicinal plants especially in Orissa.     Nearly ten quintals of fleshy root (wet) per hectare collected  is reduced to 200 kg (about 20% of wet root wt) after processing and drying. In the domestic market, the rates ranges between Rs 800 to Rs 1800 per kg depending on the quality of the product.   The Medicinal Plants Board, Government of India  has recognized Safed Musli as 6th important herb to be protected and promoted. The Board encourages mainstream cultivation of Safed Musli by farmers by extending a subsidy of 20% through National Horticultural Board on project cost.    Recent research   Safed musli ( Chlorophytum borivilianum) is well supported with research papers published all over the world in renowned medical research journals of recent times.    Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Mumbai University Institute of Chemical Technology, Matunga, Mumbai 400019, India. The aqueous extract of safed musli significantly reverted the elevated levels of plasma glucose, triglycerides, cholesterol and serum corticosterone and also reduced the ulcer index, adrenal gland weight more as effectively as the standard drug (diazepam) in rats. Our result suggest that safed musli could be used for the treatment of oxidative stress-induced disorders.     REFERENCES    1. C.S.I.R. Government of India, Wealth of India    2. Cramer. Von.J. 1968 Dictionary of Economic Plants    3.Maheshwari. P and Singh. Umrao. 1965 Dictionary of Economic Plants of India     4. Bordia, P.C., A. Joshi, and M.M. Simlot. 1995. Safed moosli    5. Oudhia, P. 2001 b. Problems perceived by Safed Moosli (Chlorophytum borivilianum/) growers of Chhattisgarh