Withania somnifera

About: Withania somnifera is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 2116 publications have been published within this topic receiving 43404 citations. The topic is also known as: Ashwaganda & Indian ginseng.

Standardization of Ashwagandhadi lehya —An important Ayurvedic formulation of Withania somnifera

Abstract: Ashwagandhadi lehya is an important Ayurvedic formulation containing Withania somnifera as the main ingredient. The present study was undertaken to develop standardization parameters for Ashwagandhadi lehya. Samples of the formulation were prepared in the lab and those marketed by different manufacturers were procured, and all the samples were evaluated for various physicochemical parameters and botanical characterization. Different extracts of Ashwagandhadi lehya were prepared and subjected to HPTLC fingerprinting. Withaferin A, the main constituent present in W. somnifera, was used as the marker compound. Its content was determined in the different samples of Ashwagandhadi lehya for standardization.

Influence of vermicomposts on the yield and alkaloid content of withania somnifera. dunal

Abstract: The impact of vermicompostsviz.Cowdung vermicompost, leaf ash vermicompost and poultry feather vermicompost on the yield and alkaloid content of medicinal plant, Withania somniferawere assessed and compared with the plants cultivated in the soil amended with chemical fertilizer and th e plants cultivated without any fertilizer (control). The plant growth parameters such as shoot length, root length, shoot dry weight, root dry weight, shoot wet weight, root wet weight, shoot: root ratio and the alkaloid withaferin A and withanolide D wer e significantly increased in the plants cultivated in the soil amended with poultry feather vermicompost.

Ashwagandha root in the treatment of non-classical adrenal hyperplasia.

Abstract: Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) is a well-characterised family of disorders of the adrenal cortices, resulting in varying degrees of cortisol, aldosterone and androgen deficiency or androgen excess, depending on the enzyme(s) affected and the degree of quantitative or functional enzyme deficit. Withania somnifera (WS), commonly known as Ashwagandha, is a medicinal plant that has been employed for centuries in ayurvedic medicine. Preclinical studies have shown that WS increases circulating cortisol levels and improves insulin sensitivity. We report the case of a 57-year-old woman with non-classical adrenal hyperplasia due to both 3-β-ol dehydrogenase deficiency and aldosterone synthase deficiency who was self-treated with WS for 6 months. After 6 months of treatment her serum 18-OH-hydroxycorticoserone, 17-OH-pregnenolone, corticosterone and 11-deoxycortisol decreased by 31%, 66%, 69% and 55%, respectively. The biochemical improvement was accompanied by a noticeable reduction in scalp hair loss.

Enhanced bioproduction of withaferin A from suspension cultures of Withania somnifera.

Abstract: Callus cultures of Withania somnifera from leaves were established on MS (Murashige and Skoog) media supplemented with Dicamba (2 mg/l), Kinetin (0.1 mg/l) and Sucrose (3% w/v). Suspension cultures were established and the growth and production kinetics were studied. For growth kinetics MS media supplemented with Dicamba (2 mg/l), Kinetin (0.1 mg/l) and Sucrose (3% w/v) without agar was used which was found suitable for the initiation and maintenance of the suspension cultures cultures from the calli. Half B5 medium supplemented with 2,4- Dichlorophenylacetic acid(2,4-D) (1 mg/l), Kinetin (0.1 mg/l) and Sucrose (5% w/v) was employed. Effect of various precursors and elicitors on suspension cultures was studied. The addition of precursor’s sodium acetate (50 mg/l) (~10 folds), Mevalanolactone (50 mg/l) (~14 folds), Squalene (50 mg/l) in colloidal form (~23 folds) and Cholesterol (25 mg/l) in colloidal form (~30.5 folds) have shown significant increase in bioproduction of withaferin A. Among the various biotic and abiotic elicitors used Verticillium dahliae (5% w/v cells extract) (~10 folds) and copper sulphate (100μm/l) (~2.5 folds) have shown moderate increase in the bioproduction of withaferin A. The effective precursors and elicitors were studied for optimization of day of addition and found that maximum bioproduction of withaferin A was seen in the cultures when precursors and elicitors were added to 3 day old suspension cultures.