---

Ashwagandha

The plant Ashwagandha, also known as Withania Somnifera Dunn. (Solanacaea), has been used in herbal formulations of the Ayurvedic or Indian system of medicine to attenuate a cerebral function deficit in the geriatric population, and to augment the faculty of learning and memory to provide a non-specific host defense. These beneficial effects help the organism to ward off stress and act as an adaptogen. Ashwagandha is one of the most valuable medicinal plants, forming the active component or whole of the phytopharmaceutical products for the prevention and cure of a variety of human ailments and diseases. Sitoindosides and Withanolides together are mainly responsible for the biological activity of Ashwagandha which could be attributed to its usefulness in a wide variety of pathological states. Ashwagandha contains a variety of chemicals including alkaloids (withanine, withasomnin) and steroidal lactones and glycosides also called as withanoloids and sitoindosides. The chemicals from the extract of Ashwagandha has analgesic, mildly sedative, anti-inflammatory and anabolic activities. They also have immunomodulatory activity. Several compounds, particularly withanoloids are believed to interact with the liver protein synthesis activity and thus influence many modular proteins. Further Ashwagandha has demonstrated antipyretic, analgesic, antiinflammatory, antiarthritic, anabolic, hepatoprotective and antitumor activities. Ashwagandha is reputed for promoting health and longevity by increasing defense against disease, arresting the aging process, revitalizing the body in debilitating conditions. Ashwagandha is also known to have positive effects on mental functions and memory, and can be classified in modem terminology as an adaptogen. Ashwagandha also shows significant protection against pentylene tetrazole induced seizures in experimental models of epilepsy, indicating its potential utility for treatment of petitmal epilepsy. Ashwagandha administration also produces a decrease in the core body temperature suggesting a reduced Body Metabolic Rate (BMR), enhanced body growth and increased longevity. Typical extracts of Ashwagandha obtained from old roots stock are either completely devoid of sitoindosides, or contain only traces of sitoindosides admixed with large amounts of toxic metabolites of withanolide aglycones, and polysaccharides, and wherein the polyoxygenated withasteroids are degraded during conventional extract prodecures. Long term administration has shown beneficial radiological changes, reduction in erythrocyte sedimentation rate and acute phase symptoms including C-reactivity proteins. Ashwagandha (when given in the predetermined dosages in the composition), will not cause any severe side effects or undesired effects.

---