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Withania somnifera

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Withania somnifera
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Plantae
(unranked):
Angiosperms
(unranked):
Eudicots
(unranked):
Asterids
Order:
Solanales
Family:
Solanaceae
Genus:
Withania
Species:
W. somnifera
Binomial name
Withania somnifera
Synonyms[1]
  • Physalis somnifera L.
  • Withania kansuensis Kuang & A. M. Lu
  • Withania microphysalis Suess.
Fruits

Withania somnifera, known commonly as ashwagandha,[2] Indian ginseng,[3] poison gooseberry,[3] or winter cherry,[2] is a plant in the Solanaceae or nightshade family. Several other species in the genus Withania are morphologically similar.[4] It is used as an herb in Ayurvedic medicine.

Description

This species is a short annual shrub growing 35 to 75 centimeters tall. Tomentose branches extend radially from a central stem. The flowers are small and green. The ripe fruit is orange-red.

Etymology

The species name somnifera means "sleep-inducing" in Latin.[5]

Cultivation

Withania somnifera is cultivated in many of the drier regions of India, such as Mandsaur District of Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Sindh, Gujarat,and Rajasthan.[6] It is also found in Nepal.[7]

Pathology

Withania somnifera is prone to several pests and diseases. Leaf spot disease caused by Alternaria alternata is the most prevalent disease, which is most severe in the plains of Punjab, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh. Biodeterioration of its pharmaceutically active components during leaf spot disease has been reported.[8] The Choanephora cucurbitarum causes a stem and leaf rot of Withania somnifera[9] A treehopper, feeds on the apical portions of the stem, making them rough and woody in appearance and brown in colour. The apical leaves are shed and the plant gradually dies.[10] The carmine red spider mite (Tetranychus urticae) is the most prevalent pest of the plant in India.[11]

Culinary use

The berries can be used as a substitute for rennet in cheesemaking.[6]

Biochemistry

The main chemical constituents are alkaloids and steroidal lactones. These include tropine and cuscohygrine. The leaves contain the steroidal lactones, withanolides, notably withaferin A, which was the first to be isolated from the plant.[citation needed]

Traditional medicinal uses

The plant's long, brown, tuberous roots are used for medicinal purposes.[6][7] The alcoholic leaf-extract of Withania somnifera has been found to be effective in restoration of memory loss [12]

In Ayurveda, the berries and leaves are applied externally to tumors, tubercular glands, carbuncles, and ulcers.[6] The roots are used to prepare the herbal remedy ashwagandha, which has been traditionally used to treat various symptoms and conditions.[6][13][14][15][16][17][18]

In two published clinical trials of W. somnifera, the side effects were not significantly different from those experienced by placebo-treated individuals.[16][19] Ashwagandha exhibits greater clinical benefit than psychotherapy in mental health (anxiety level), concentration, fatigue, social functioning, vitality, and overall quality of life.[16][verification needed]

Multiple studies have shown positive effects in reducing physiological and psychological stress as well as restoring and increasing energy levels. More than one study had findings showing a significant improvement in both cardiovascular and respiratory endurance.[18][20][verification needed]

References

  1. ^ "Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal". Tropicos. Missouri Botanical Garden. Retrieved 25 Feb 2012.
  2. ^ a b "Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal". Germplasm Resources Information Network - (GRIN) [Online Database]. Beltsville, Maryland: USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program. National Germplasm Resources Laboratory. Retrieved 2011-10-29.
  3. ^ a b "Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal". PROTA (Plant Resources of Tropical Africa / Ressources végétales de l’Afrique tropicale) [Online Database]. Wageningen, Netherlands: Gurib-Fakim A. and Schmelzer G. H. Retrieved 2012-08-07.
  4. ^ Gupta, A.; Mittal, A.; Jha, K. K.; Kumar, A. (2011). "Nature's treasurer: plants acting on colon cancer" (pdf). Journal of Stress Physiology & Biochemistry. 7 (4): 217–231.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ Stearn, W. T. (1995). Botanical Latin: History, Grammar, Syntax, Terminology and Vocabulary (4th ed.). Timber Press. ISBN 0-88192-321-4.
  6. ^ a b c d e Attention: This template ({{cite pmid}}) is deprecated. To cite the publication identified by PMID 19633611 , please use {{cite journal}} with |pmid= 19633611 instead.
  7. ^ a b Pandit, S.; Chang, K.-W.; Jeon, J.-G. (February 2013). "Effects of Withania somnifera on the growth and virulence properties of Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus at sub-MIC levels". Anaerobe. 19: 1–8. doi:10.1016/j.anaerobe.2012.10.007.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  8. ^ Attention: This template ({{cite doi}}) is deprecated. To cite the publication identified by doi: 10.1007/s12088-008-0053-y , please use {{cite journal}} (if it was published in a bona fide academic journal, otherwise {{cite report}} with |doi= 10.1007/s12088-008-0053-y instead.
  9. ^ Saroj, A.; Kumar, A.; Qamar, N.; Alam, M.; Singh, H. N.; Khaliq, A. (2012). "First report of wet rot of Withania somnifera caused by Choanephora cucurbitarum in India". Plant Disease. 96 (2): 293. doi:10.1094/PDIS-09-11-0801.
  10. ^ Sharma, A.; Pati, P. K. (2011). "First report of Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal, as a New Host of Cowbug (Oxyrachis tarandus, Fab.) In Plains of Punjab, Northern India" (pdf). World Applied Sciences Journal. 14 (9): 1344–1346. ISSN 1818-4952.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  11. ^ Sharma, A.; Pati, P. K. (2012). "First record of the carmine spider mite, Tetranychus urticae, infesting Withania somnifera in India" (pdf). Journal of Insect Science. 12 (50): 1. doi:10.1673/031.012.5001. ISSN 1536-2442.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  12. ^ Gautam A, Wadhwa R, Thakur MK. Involvement of hippocampal Arc in amnesia and its recovery by alcoholic extract of Ashwagandha leaves. Neurobiol Learn Mem. 2013 Nov;106:177-84.
  13. ^ Attention: This template ({{cite pmid}}) is deprecated. To cite the publication identified by PMID 10904144 , please use {{cite journal}} with |pmid= 10904144 instead.
  14. ^ Attention: This template ({{cite pmid}}) is deprecated. To cite the publication identified by PMID 20528765 , please use {{cite journal}} with |pmid= 20528765 instead.
  15. ^ Attention: This template ({{cite pmid}}) is deprecated. To cite the publication identified by PMID 19501822 , please use {{cite journal}} with |pmid= 19501822 instead.
  16. ^ a b c Attention: This template ({{cite pmid}}) is deprecated. To cite the publication identified by PMID 19718255 , please use {{cite journal}} with |pmid= 19718255 instead.
  17. ^ "Ashwagandha". About Herbs. New York: Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.
  18. ^ a b Lakshmi-Chandra Mishra, Betsy B. Singh, Simon Dagenais (2000). "Scientific basis for the therapeutic use of Withania somnifera (ashwagandha): A review" (PDF). Alternative Medicine Review. 5 (4).{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  19. ^ Attention: This template ({{cite doi}}) is deprecated. To cite the publication identified by doi: 10.1097/01.rhu.0000138087.47382.6d , please use {{cite journal}} (if it was published in a bona fide academic journal, otherwise {{cite report}} with |doi= 10.1097/01.rhu.0000138087.47382.6d instead.
  20. ^ Bucci, L. R. (2000). "Selected herbals and human exercise performance". Am J Clin Nutr. 72 (2 Suppl): 624S–636S.

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