Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal
Family: Solanaceae
Other local names
Arabic: ويتانيا منومة
Assamese: Lakhanu
Bengali : Ashvagandha
Bengali Aswagandha
Catala: Bufera
Chinese: 睡茄
Deutsch: Schlafbeere
English: Winter cherry
Gujarati : Asgandha અશ્વગંધા
Hindi: Aswagandha अश्वगंधा
Indian ginseng or Winter cherry
Kannada: Angarberu, Hiremaddina-gida, Aswagandha ಅಶ್ವಗಂಧಾ,
Kashmiri : Asagandh
Magyar: Álombogyó
Marathi: Askandh आसकंद; Asagandha
Malayalam: Amukkuram അമുക്കുരം
Oriya : Aswagandha
Punjabi : Asgandh ਅਸ਼ਵਗੰਧਾ
Sanskrit : Hayagandh¡, V¡jigandh¡, Ashwagandhi
Sinhalese: අශ්වඝන්ධ
Suomi: Rohtokoisio
Tamil : Amukkaramkizangu, amukkira அமுக்கிரா
Telegu: Pennerugadda పెన్నేరు గడ్డ; Ashwagandha అశ్వగంధ,
Urdu: Asgand
Vietnamise: Sâm_Ấn_Độ
Ashwagandha is among the most highly regarded herbal tonifiers in ayurvedic herbalism. It is considered a tonic, nervine, and adaptogen. [American Herbal Pharmacopoeia: Botanical Pharmacognosy]
Ayurvedic uses: Sotha, Kshaya, Daurblya, Vataroga, Klaibya [API- Part-1, Vol.1]
Kampavata, Ashwagandha appeared to increase body weight and hemoglobin. Withania somnifera root extract) – a well known adaptogenic agent. Anti-Parkinson’s, hypercholesterolaemia. Cholera, dysentery; used as antiemetic.
Adenopathy, Addiction, Aging, Alcoholism, Alzheimer’s, Ameba, Amenorrhea, Anemia, Anorexia, Anthrax, Arthrosis, Asthma, Backache, Bacteria, Boil, Bronchosis, Cancer, Cancer, lung, Carbuncle, Childbirth, Chill, Cholecystosis, Cold, Conjunctivosis, Convulsion, Cough, Cramp, Cystosis, Debility, Decubitis, Dermatosis, Diarrhea, Dropsy, Dyspepsia, Emaciation, Emphysema, Epilepsy, Eruption, Erysipelas, Fertility, Fever, Frigidity, Fungus, Furuncle, Gangrene, Gray Hair, Hemorrhoid, Hepatosis, Herpes, Hiccup, High Blood Pressure, High Cholesterol, Immunodepression, Impotence, Infection, Infertility, Inflammation, Insomnia, Leukocytosis, Leukoderma, Leukopenia, Lice, Lumbago, Marasmus, Milk Deficiency, Miscarriage, Morphinism, MS, Mycosis, Nausea, Nervousness, Neurasthenia, Neurosis, Neutropenia, Pain, Parasite, Pediculosis, Proctosis, Psoriasis, Pulmonosis, Rheumatism, Ringworm, Sarcoma, Scabies, Senility, Smallpox, Sore, Stress, Swelling, Syphilis, Tuberculosis, Tumor, Typhoid, Ulcer, Uterosis, VD, Virus, Water Retention, Worm, Wound, Yeast. [Handbook of Medicinal Herbs]
Withania somnifera root has chemopreventive efficacy against forestomach and skin carcinogenesis [Handbook of herbs and spices]
Roots and leaves are used by many ethnic communities as medicines in many other diseases. In Ayurvedic system, powder of root is used for improvement of semen and in many other diseases. [HERBAL CURES: TRADITIONAL APPROACH]
In West African local medicine, both roots and leaves are used internally, and the freshly pounded leaves also externally, against fever, chills, rheumatism, colics, etc. The juice of the plant is said to be diuretic and emmenagogic. In local medicine in East Africa, the root is considered to have narcotic and antiepileptic actions (Pichi Sermoli, 1955). In India, the bruised leaves and ground root are used as a local application to painful swellings, carbuncles and ulcers as the root and leaves are considered to be sedative and the root has been included in the Indian Pharmacopoeia and Codex for its narcotic and sedative properties. [Medicinal plants in tropical West Africa]
The root of this plant is a tonic, alterative, aphrodisiac and used in consumption, emaciation, debility due to old age, rheumatism, etc. It has also narcotic, diuretic and deobstruent properties. In Sind, it is used to cause abortion. The root ground into a paste is applied on ulcers, carbuncles and painful swellings with beneficial results. The Zulus use an infusion of the root as an enema for gangrenous rectitis and the whole plant for treating syphilis. The green berries are rubbed on ringworm with beneficial effect. A decoction of the leaf is used externally and internally in the treatment of haemorrhoids. A paste of the leaf is applied on syphilitic sores. In Tanganyika, the root of the plant is used as a sexual stimulant and also as an abortifacient, while in southern and eastern Africa it is given for diarrhoea and proctitis and the leaf for nausea and rheumatism. [Medicinal Plants (Indigenous and Exotic) Used in Ceylon]
Reduces stress, Has anti-inflammatory effect, Boosts sexual energy in men [Pharmacodynamic Basis of Herbal Medicine]
Since ancient times ashwagandha has been considered a nervine tonic, alterative, aphrodisiac, deobstruent (having the property of removing obstruction in any system of the human body) and a sedative. It has been used in rheumatism, consumption and in debility. Ashwagandha can be used by persons of both sexes, of all ages and at all stages of their lives. In elders it provides energy, relieves inflammations, pains and aches of the back, hand and feet, and in the generative system, nervous debility and diseases due to vata. It is being prescribed as an anabolic agent, as an adaptogen and analgesic for the treatment of various arthropathies, certain forms of hypertension, insanity, etc. It imparts resistance to infection and stress. It stimulates sexual impulses and increases sperm counts. It is considered a Rasayana, for strength, vigour and for rejuvenation. The easiest way to use the root is to take one teaspoonful of the fine powder with sweetened milk, or mix the powder with ghee, lick the mixture followed by milk sweetened with sugar candy. In gynecological practice it helps in sterility, leucorrhoea and inflammation of the vagina. It also helps breast development. For these purposes, take one teaspoonful of ashwagandha powder with half a teaspoonful of ghee, and honey before breakfast in the morning and before sleeping in the evening, followed by cold sweet milk. It must be taken for three months, particularly during winter. [Rasayana - Traditional Herbal Medicines for Modern Times Vol2]
Constitutents: Aswagandha roots contain alkaloids, starch, reducing sugar, hentriacontane, glycosides, dulcital, withaniol acid and a neutral compound. Wide variation (0.13-0.31%) is observed in alkaloid content. Majumdar (1955) isolated 8 amorphous bases such as withanine, somniferine, somniferinine, somnine, withananine, withananinine, pseudowithanine and withasomnine. Other alkaloids reported are nicotine, tropine, pseudotropine, 3,a-tigloyloxytropane, choline, cuscudohygrine, anaferine, anahygrine and others. Free aminoacids in the roots include aspartic acid, glycine, tyrosine, alanine, proline,
tryptophan, glutamic acid and cystine. Leaves contain 12 withanolides, alkaloids, glycosides, glucose and free amino acids. Berries contain a milk coagulating enzyme, two esterases, free amino acids, fatty oil, essential oil and alkaloids.
694 Published articles of Withania somnifera
