Botanical Name/Latin Name: Withania somnifera Dunal
English Name: Winter cherry,
Common Name: Ashwagandha, Ashawgandha
Sanskrit Name: Varahkarni, Balda, Varda, Kusthgandhini,
Hindi Name: Ashawgandha, Ashwagandha, Asgandh, Nagori asgandh
Morphology:The plant of Ashwagandha belongs to Solanaceae family & is small evergreen shrub with small green flowers & bearing Orange or bright red fruits.The height of this herb reaches upto 2 feets.The long (approx. one to one & half feet) smooth tuberous roots of this plant is in light brown colour from outside are used for medicinal purpose.
Habitat:
This herb is found in drier areas of India such as some part of Rajsthan, Punjab & tehsil Jawad, Manasa & Neemuch, District Mandsaur of Madhya Pradesh. Apart from India it is found in Sri Lanka, Nepal, Sindh of Pakistan, & Afghanistan.
General information:
As per Ayurveda text books Ashwgandha roots are used for medicinal or nutritional purpose. This herb is known for its anti stress, immunomodulator, nervine tonic, restorative, rejuvenating, antioxidant, adaptogenic & aphrodisiac properties.It is rich in alkaloids(such as Withanine, somnine, somniferine & tropine), saponins, steroidallactones(such as Withaferins & Withanolides) & glycosides,Whitanine is active or main constituent among the various alkaloids. The leaves & berries are good as topical application or treatment for ulcers, carbuncles, tubercular glands & tumors.
As per Ayurveda properties of Ashwagandha:
As per Ayurveda Ashwgandha means smell of horse as odour of Winter cherries root resembles that to a sweaty horse, The Taste(Rasa) of this herb is Bitter(Tikta) & Sweet(Madhur), Post digestion effect(Vipaka) is Sweet(Madhur), Quality(Guna) is Unctuous(Snigdha) & Light(Laghu), Active principle(Veerya) is Warm(Ushna).
Benefits of Withania somnifera:
* Ayurvedic physicians use Ashwgandha as a nervine tonic in debility & chronic fatigue.
* Withania somnifera is used as anti stress herb & is good in improving brain chemistry. It helps to enhance cognitive function, memory & promotes sound sleep.
* As an aphrodisiac it improves strength in body, impotency, erectile dysfunction, lack of sexual performance & spermatorrhea. It also helps to increase sperms if some one have seminal debility.
* Ashwagandha has anti-inflammatory & analgesic property. Ayurveda physicians use it with other herbs in treating arthritis & osteoporosis.
* Withania somnifera is a restorative herb & nutritional supplement for body building for those who want to build their body.
* Withania somnifera is a natural antioxidant & anti aging tonic, helps to decrease premature aging.
* Ayurveda scholars use Winter cherry in treating leuccohorea & vaginal pain.
* New research shows that Withania somnifera is capable in improving immune system, now days physicians use this herb in the treatment of cancer.
* Winter cherry helps to suppress morphine & alcohol withdrawals.* Ashwagandha is useful herb in Alzheimer's disorders & Parkinson disease.
Dosage of Ashwagandha:
Different forms of dosage of Winter cherry is given below considering a person of normal height & weight.It may vary from person to person.
Ashwagandha Powder(Churna) of roots: 3 to 6 grams.
Decoction(Arishta) of Winter cherry: 15 to 20 ml.
Ghee(Ghretam) of Ashawgandha: 3 to 5 ml.
Paste(Avleha) of Ashwagandha: 3 to 6 gram.
Extract of Withania somnifera: The ratio must be 5:1, twice or thrice daily.
Ayurvedic formulations:
The powdered roots of Ashwagandha - Choorna.
Decoction of Withania somnifera - Ashwagandharishta.
Clarified butter of Ashwagandha - Ashwagandhagrehtam.
Paste of Withania somnifera - Ashwagandhavleha(along with other herbs are processed to make it in a paste).
Many other formulations are present where Ashwagandha is used along with other herbs.
Safety:
Withania somnifera got an excellent safety profile, most of the physicians have declared Ashwagandha safe for most people, but it may have some side effects. So, it should be taken under Doctor or Ayurveda Physician supervision only.
Large doses of Winter cherry may cause diarrhea, nausea & vomiting and it should not be consume with sedative drugs or antidepressants drugs. As per clinical data pregnant women should not consume this herb as it may lead to many side effects.
Research updates & references:
* Chlorinated and diepoxy withanolides from Withania somnifera and their cytotoxic effects against human lung cancer cell line, Phytochemistry, Volume 71, Issues 17-18, December 2010, Pages 2205- 2209
* Evaluation of analgesic, antipyretic and ulcerogenic effect of Withaferin A, International Journal of Integrative Biology, Year 2009, Volume 6, Issue 2, pages 52-56
* Withania somnifera: An Indian ginseng, Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry, Volume 32, Issue 5, 1 July 2008, Pages 1093-1105
* Non conventional & Integrative Treatments of Alcohol & Substance Abuse, Integrative Medicine, Psychiatric Times, February 2007, Pages 10-11
* Antioxidant approach to disease management and the role of ‘Rasayana’ herbs of Ayurveda, Journal of Journal of Ethnopharmacology, Volume 99, Issue 2, 3 June 2005, Pages 165-178
* Anti-oxidant effect of Withania somnifera glycowithanolides in chronic footshock stress-induced perturbations of oxidative free radical scavenging enzymes and lipid peroxidation in rat frontal cortex and striatum, Journal of Ethnopharmacology, Volume 74, Issue 1, January 2001, Pages 1-6
