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==Description==
==Description==
It grows as a short [[shrub]] (35–75&nbsp;cm) with a central stem from which branch extend radially in a star pattern ([[stellate]]) and covered with a dense matte of wooly hairs ([[tomentose]]).<ref name=mirjalili>{{cite journal |author=Mirjalili MH, Moyano E, Bonfill M, Cusido RM, Palazón J |title=Steroidal lactones from Withania somnifera, an ancient plant for novel medicine |journal=Molecules |volume=14 |issue=7 |pages=2373–93 |year=2009 |pmid=19633611 |doi=10.3390/molecules14072373 |url=}}</ref> The flowers are small and green, while the ripe fruit is orange-red and has milk-coagulating properties.<ref name=mirjalili/> The plant also has long brown tuberous roots that are used for medicinal purposes. It is cultivated in many of the drier regions of [[India]] such as Manasa, Neemuch, and Jawad tehsils of the Mandsaur District of [[Madhya Pradesh]], [[Punjab, India|Punjab]], [[Sind]], and [[Rajasthan]].<ref name=mirjalili/>
It grows as a short [[shrub]] (35–75&nbsp;cm) with a central stem from which branch extend radially in a star pattern ([[stellate]]) and covered with a dense matte of wooly hairs ([[tomentose]]).<ref name=mirjalili>{{cite journal |author=Mirjalili MH, Moyano E, Bonfill M, Cusido RM, Palazón J |title=Steroidal lactones from Withania somnifera, an ancient plant for novel medicine |journal=Molecules |volume=14 |issue=7 |pages=2373–93 |year=2009 |pmid=19633611 |doi=10.3390/molecules14072373 |url=}}</ref> The flowers are small and green, while the ripe fruit is orange-red and has milk-coagulating properties.<ref name=mirjalili/> The plant also has long brown tuberous roots that are used for medicinal purposes. It is cultivated in many of the drier regions of [[India]] such as Manasa, Neemuch, and Jawad tehsils of the Mandsaur District of [[Madhya Pradesh]], [[Punjab, India|Punjab]], [[Sind]], and [[Rajasthan]].<ref name=mirjalili/> It is also found in Nepal.


==Claimed medicinal uses==
==Claimed medicinal uses==

Revision as of 22:12, 20 September 2011

Withania somnifera
Ashvagandha plant at Talkatora garden, Delhi
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Plantae
(unranked):
Angiosperms
(unranked):
Eudicots
(unranked):
Asterids
Order:
Solanales
Family:
Solanaceae
Genus:
Withania
Species:
W. somnifera
Binomial name
Withania somnifera
Synonyms

Physalis somnifera

Withania somnifera, also known as Ashwagandha, Indian ginseng, Winter cherry, Ajagandha, Kanaje Hindi, Amukkara in Tamil and Samm Al Ferakh, is a plant in the Solanaceae or nightshade family. Many closely related species like Withania coagulans (Dunal) – Paneer dodi, Ashutosh booti (Sanskrit, Hindi) [2] are morphologically very similar to the species.

Description

It grows as a short shrub (35–75 cm) with a central stem from which branch extend radially in a star pattern (stellate) and covered with a dense matte of wooly hairs (tomentose).[3] The flowers are small and green, while the ripe fruit is orange-red and has milk-coagulating properties.[3] The plant also has long brown tuberous roots that are used for medicinal purposes. It is cultivated in many of the drier regions of India such as Manasa, Neemuch, and Jawad tehsils of the Mandsaur District of Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Sind, and Rajasthan.[3] It is also found in Nepal.

Claimed medicinal uses

In Ayurveda, the roots of W. somnifera are used to prepare medicinal Ashwagandha. It is claimed that Ashwaganda has been traditionally used to treat various symptoms and conditions, although there are few scientific studies of the health benefits of the compound[3][4][5][6][7][8]

The berries can be used as a substitute for rennet, to coagulate milk in cheese making.[3] The berries and leaves are traditionally used a topical treatment for tumors and tubercular glands, carbuncles and ulcers.[3][9][10]

While Ashwagandha is claimed to have a wide variety of health benefits, there have been few clinical trials to test these claims. Studies in rodents suggest that W. somnifera may reduce morphine tolerance[11][12] and to inhibit oxidative stress associated with neurological disorders.[13] In in vitro studies of isolated cultured cells, Ashwagandha was reported to have anti-carcinogenic effects via decreased expression of nuclear factor-kappaB, suppression of intercellular tumor necrosis factor, and potentiation of apoptotic signalling.[14]


In addition, there are registered clinical trials in progress to determine if W. somnifera is useful for treating tuberculosis,[15] Parkinsons disease[16] bone cancer,[17] bipolar disorder,[18]and diabetes,[19][20] and for improving the well-being of the elderly and breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy[21][22]

Side effects

In at least two published clinical trials of Withania somnifera, the side effects experienced by W. somnifera treated individuals were not significantly different than the side effects experienced by placebo treated individuals. If taken in excess it can cause liver failure.[8][23] However, there has been one report that Withania somnifera can stimulate the thyroid and lead to thyrotoxicosis in some people.[24]

Other

Ashwagandha in Sanskrit means "horse's smell," probably originating from the odor of its root which resembles that of a sweaty horse. In Tamil, it is called Amukkrang Kilangu (அமுக்கராங்கிழங்கு) and is used in several medicines. The species name somnifera means "sleep-inducing" in Latin, indicating that to it are attributed sedating properties.Some herbalists refer to ashwagandha as Indian ginseng, since it is used in ayurvedic medicine in a way similar to that ginseng is used in traditional Chinese medicine.

Seven American and four Japanese firms have filed for grant of patents on formulations containing extracts of the herb Ashwagandha.

Phytochemical investigations of multiple shoot cultures of selected accessions AGB002 and AGB025 of Withania somnifera. established in vitro utilizing shoot tip apices cultured on Murashige and Skoog's medium supplemented with BAP (1 mg/L) have been carried out. This has led to isolation of four glycowithanolides viz. Withanoside IV (WSG-3), Withanoside VI (WSG-3A), Physagulin D (WSG-P) and Withastraronolide (WSC-O).The structures of these have been confirmed on the basis of spectroscopic data. Multiple shoot cultures could be an alternative renewable resource for production of these biologically active molecules[25]

Active constituents

Withaferin A

The main constituents of ashwagandha are alkaloids and steroidal lactones. Among the various alkaloids, withanine is the main constituent. The other alkaloids are somniferine, somnine, somniferinine, withananine, pseudo-withanine, tropine, pseudo-tropine, cuscohygrine, anferine and anhydrine. Two acyl steryl glucosides, sitoindoside VII and sitoindoside VIII, have been isolated from root. The leaves contain steroidal lactones, which are commonly called withanolides. The withanolides have C28 steroidal nucleus with C9 side chain and a six-membered lactone ring.

Withaferin-A

Withaferin-A (WA) is a bioactive compound derived from Withania somnifera, which inhibits Notch-1 signaling and downregulates prosurvival pathways, such as Akt/NF-κB/Bcl-2, in three colon cancer cell lines (HCT-116, SW-480, and SW-620)[26] Recent research in mice suggests that Withaferin-A may have anti-metastatic activity.[27]

Pathology

Withania somnifera is prone to several pests and diseases. Leaf spot disease of Withania somnifera caused by Alternaria alternata is the most prevalent disease. It is most severe in Indian plains of Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh. Dr. Pratap Kumar Pati research group from Guru Nanak Dev University Punjab, India, recently reported in an article of Indian journal of microbiology, on the biodeterioration of its pharmacutically active components during leaf spot disease. [28] They have studied the post infectional biochemical changes and the activities of various enzymes, with the disease progression. Further, they have successfully developed a molecular detection system for the pathogen.

Climatic conditions for growth

Grown as late rainy season (kharif) crop. The semi-tropical areas receiving 500 to 750 mm rainfall are suitable for its cultivation as rainfed crop. If one or two winter rains are received, the root development improves.

The crop requires relatively dry season during its growing period. It can tolerate a temperature range of 20 to 38 °C and even low temperature as low as 10 °C. The plant grows from sea level to an altitude of 1500 meters above sea level.

There are two sub-species of Withania somnifera - W. somnifera (ashwagandha) Kaul and W. somnifera Dunal. The sub-species Withania ashwagandha Kaul has been named after Indian botanist Kailas Nath Kaul, who was the pioneer of modern scientific research on the plant. [29] There are 23 species of the Withania genus that occur in the dry parts of India, North Africa, Middle East, and the Mediterranean.[3]

References

  1. ^ "Ashwagandha(Withania Somnifera) information from NPGS/GRIN". Retrieved 2008-02-16.
  2. ^ "Withania coagulans".
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Mirjalili MH, Moyano E, Bonfill M, Cusido RM, Palazón J (2009). "Steroidal lactones from Withania somnifera, an ancient plant for novel medicine". Molecules. 14 (7): 2373–93. doi:10.3390/molecules14072373. PMID 19633611.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: unflagged free DOI (link)
  4. ^ Scartezzini P, Speroni E (2000). "Review on some plants of Indian traditional medicine with antioxidant activity". J Ethnopharmacol. 71 (1–2): 23–43. doi:10.1016/S0378-8741(00)00213-0. PMID 10904144. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  5. ^ Scientific basis for the use of Indian ayurvedic medicinal plants in the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders: 1. Ashwagandha Murthy M.R.V., Ranjekar P.K., Ramassamy C., Deshpande M. Central Nervous System Agents in Medicinal Chemistry 2010 10:3 (238-246)
  6. ^ Shoeb Ahmad, Abdul Hannan, S Z Rahman, Shema Wasi, Role of Withania somnifera in the management of abnormal nocturnal emission. UniMed Kulliyat Vol 2 (1) 2006: 45-4
  7. ^ Withania somnifera improves semen quality by regulating reproductive hormone levels and oxidative stress in seminal plasma of infertile malesAhmad M.K., Mahdi A.A., Shukla K.K., Islam N., Rajender S., Madhukar D., Shankhwar S.N., Ahmad S.
  8. ^ a b Cooley K, Szczurko O, Perri D; et al. (2009). "Naturopathic care for anxiety: a randomized controlled trial ISRCTN78958974". PLoS ONE. 4 (8): e6628. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0006628. PMC 2729375. PMID 19718255. {{cite journal}}: Explicit use of et al. in: |author= (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: unflagged free DOI (link) Cite error: The named reference "cooley" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  9. ^ <Nadkarni, K.M. Indian Materia Medica; Popular Prakshan Limited: Bombay, India, 1976; p. 1291.
  10. ^ L. D. Kapoor (2001). Handbook of Ayurvedic medicinal plants. Boca Raton: CRC Press. ISBN 0-8493-2929-9.
  11. ^ Lu L, Liu Y, Zhu W; et al. (2009). "Traditional medicine in the treatment of drug addiction". Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse. 35 (1): 1–11. doi:10.1080/00952990802455469. PMID 19152199. {{cite journal}}: Explicit use of et al. in: |author= (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  12. ^ Withania somnifera prevents morphine withdrawal-induced decrease in spine density in nucleus accumbens shell of rats: A confocal laser scanning microscopy studyKasture S., Vinci S., Ibba F., Puddu A., Marongiu M., Murali B., Pisanu A., Lecca D., Zernig G., Acquas E. Neurotoxicity Research 2009 16:4 (343-355)
  13. ^ Neuroprotective effects of withania somnifera dunal.: A possible mechanism Bhatnagar M., Sharma D., Salvi M. Neurochemical Research 2009 34:11 (1975-1983)
  14. ^ Ichikawa H, Takada Y, Shishodia S, Jayaprakasam B, Nair MG, Aggarwal BB (2006). "Withanolides potentiate apoptosis, inhibit invasion, and abolish osteoclastogenesis through suppression of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) activation and NF-kappaB-regulated gene expression". Molecular Cancer Therapeutics. 5 (6): 1434–45. doi:10.1158/1535-7163.MCT-06-0096. PMID 16818501. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  15. ^ India, World Health Organization International Clinical Registry Program, CTRI/2008/091/000089, http://www.ctri.in/Clinicaltrials/ViewTrial.jsp?trialno=175
  16. ^ Pakistan, World Health Organization International Clinical Registry Program, ISRCTN31871098, http://apps.who.int/trialsearch/Trial.aspx?TrialID=ISRCTN31871098
  17. ^ India, World Health Organization International Clinical Registry Program, NCT00689195, http://apps.who.int/trialsearch/Trial.aspx?TrialID=NCT00689195
  18. ^ USA, World Health Organization International Clinical Registry Program, NCT00761761, http://apps.who.int/trialsearch/Trial.aspx?TrialID=NCT00761761
  19. ^ India, World Health Organization International Clinical Registry Program, CTRI/2008/091/000053, http://apps.who.int/trialsearch/Trial.aspx?TrialID=CTRI/2008/091/000053
  20. ^ India, World Health Organization International Clinical Registry Program, CTRI/2008/091/000054, http://apps.who.int/trialsearch/Trial.aspx?TrialID=CTRI/2008/091/000053
  21. ^ India, World Health Organization International Clinical Registry Program, CTRI/2008/091/000052, http://apps.who.int/trialsearch/Trial.aspx?TrialID=CTRI/2008/091/000052
  22. ^ India, World Health Organization International Clinical Registry Program, CTRI/2008/091/000047, http://apps.who.int/trialsearch/Trial.aspx?TrialID=CTRI/2008/091/000047
  23. ^ Chopra A, Lavin P, Patwardhan B, Chitre D (2004). "A 32-week randomized, placebo-controlled clinical evaluation of RA-11, an Ayurvedic drug, on osteoarthritis of the knees". J Clin Rheumatol. 10 (5): 236–45. doi:10.1097/01.rhu.0000138087.47382.6d. PMID 17043520. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  24. ^ van der Hooft CS, Hoekstra A, Winter A, de Smet PA, Stricker BH (2005). "[Thyrotoxicosis following the use of ashwagandha]". Nederlands Tijdschrift Voor Geneeskunde (in Dutch). 149 (47): 2637–8. PMID 16355578. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  25. ^ Glycowithanolides accumulation in in vitro shoot cultures of Indian ginseng (Withania somnifera dunal)Ahuja A., Kaur D., Sharada M., Kumar A., Suri K.A., Dutt P. Natural Product Communications 2009 4:4 (479-482)
  26. ^ . 9 (1). Molecular Cancer Therapeutics. 2010: 202–210 [Notch-1 inhibition by withaferin-A: A therapeutic target against colon carcinogenesis Notch-1 inhibition by withaferin-A: A therapeutic target against colon carcinogenesis]. {{cite journal}}: Check |url= value (help); Cite journal requires |journal= (help); Missing or empty |title= (help); Unknown parameter |authors= ignored (help)
  27. ^ Thaiparambil, JT.; Bender, L.; Ganesh, T.; Kline, E.; Patel, P.; Liu, Y.; Tighiouart, M.; Vertino, PM.; Harvey, RD. (2011). "Withaferin A inhibits breast cancer invasion and metastasis at sub-cytotoxic doses by inducing vimentin disassembly and serine 56 phosphorylation". Int J Cancer. doi:10.1002/ijc.25938. PMID 21538350. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  28. ^ Pati, Pratap Kumar (2009). "Studies on leaf spot disease of Withania somnifera and its impact on secondary metabolites. Indian Journal of Microbiology. 48:". Indian Journal of Microbiology. 48. Springer India: 432–437. doi:10.1007/s12088-008-0053-y. Retrieved 2010-05-06. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  29. ^ Kaul K. N. 1956. The origin, distribution and cultivation of Ashwangandha, the so called Withania somnifera of Indian literature. Symposium on the utilisation of Indian Medicinal Plants; Lucknow CSIR.pp.07-08
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