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.

Effect of ashwagandha (withania somnifera) root powder supplementation on the vo2 max. and hemoglobin in hockey players

Abstract: Withania Somnifera (WS) is used as adaptogen, antiarthritic, antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory, nervine tonic, nerve soothing, antioxidant, immunomodulator, free radical scavenger, anti-stress and anti-cancer agent. But ergogenic value of WS as nutritional supplement is yet to be established. Objectives: Present study was designed to investigate the effect of supplementation of WS on the VO2max and Haemoglobin in Hockey Players. Method: Thirty two male hockey players, with a mean age of 17.4 ± 1.7 years and BMI 20.9 ± 2.9 kg/m2 volunteered for the study. Subjects were randomly assigned into two groups Group I (n=16): Withania somnifera group (experimental group) and Group II (n=16): Placebo (control) group. The experimental group received 500 mg capsules of aqueous roots of Ashwagandha twice daily for eight weeks, whereas the placebo group received starch capsules. Maximal oxygen consumption capacity in ml/kg/min (VO2max.) with Cooper (1968) 12 min. run test and hemoglobin (Hb) of both experimental and control groups were measured before and after the administration of Withania somnifera and placebo respectively. Results: A significant improvement in the VO2max (t = 2.98, p< 0.01) and hemoglobin (t = 2.78, p < 0.01) in experimental group was found. Whereas not any significant change in pre test and post test values of VO2max and Hb was observed in the placebo group. Conclusion: Supplementation of Withania Somnifera improves VO2max and hemoglobin concentration in young hockey players.

Effect of Ashwagandha ( Withania somnifera ) against chronic constriction injury induced behavioral and biochemical alterations: Possible involvement of nitric oxide mechanism

Abstract: Aim: Neuropathic pain (NP) arises due to lesion or disease in somatosensory nervous system. Recent reports indicate the role of Withania somnifera (WS) in various inflammatory pain conditions. The objective of the present study was to explore the possible protective effect of WS against chronic constriction injury (CCI) induced NP in rats. Materials and Methods: CCI of sciatic nerve was performed in male Wistar rats. Various behavioral parameters (thermal hyperalgesia, cold allodynia) followed by biochemical parameters (lipid peroxidation, reduced glutathione, catalase and nitrite) were assessed in sciatic nerves. Drugs were administered consecutively for 21 days from the day of surgery. CCI to sciatic nerve significantly caused thermal hyperalgesia, cold allodynia and oxidative damage in the sciatic nerves when compared with naive and sham control. Results: Chronic administration of WS (100 and 200 mg/kg, p.o.) significantly attenuated hyperalgesia, cold allodynia and oxidative damage (as indicated by reduction in lipid peroxidation, nitrite concentration, restoration of reduced glutathione and catalase activity). Further, L-NAME (5 mg/kg, i.p.) pre-treatment with WS (100 mg/kg, p.o.) significantly potentiated the protective effect of WS which was significant when compared with their effect per se However, L-arginine (100 mg/kg, i.p.) pre-treatment with WS (100 mg/kg, p.o.) significantly reversed the protective effects of WS in sciatic nerve. Conclusion: Result of present study suggests that nitric oxide mechanism could be involved in the protective effect of WS against CCI induced behavior alterations and oxidative damage in rats.

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHARMACY & LIFE SCIENCES Evaluation of wound healing activity of herbal drug combination of Rubia cordifolia , Centella asiatica ,Terminalia belerica ,Plumbago Zeylanica and Withania somnifera

Abstract: A herbal drug combination of Rubia cordifolia, Centella asiatica, Terminalia bel erica,Plumbago zeylanica and Withania somnifera was evaluated for wound healing activity, on excis ion wound of albino rats. Wound healing activity of the plant was evaluated by formulating the drug in ointment dosage form and then compared with a marketed formulation (Soframycin cream) as reference drug. The parameters studied includes the percent age closure of excision wound, period of epithelization. The he rbal drug combination has been observed to promote healing of wounds in animals. The results of analysis were val idated statistically and by recovery studies.

Gene Silencing and Over-Expression Studies in Concurrence With Promoter Specific Elicitations Reveal the Central Role of WsCYP85A69 in Biosynthesis of Triterpenoids in Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal.

Abstract: Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha) synthesizes a wide spectrum of triterpenoids that are produced via an intricate isoprenoid pathway whose biosynthetic and regulatory mechanism remains elusive. Their pharmacological examination position them as potent bioactive molecules, hence demanding their copious production. Previous investigations have revealed that P450 monooxygenases are pivotal enzymes involved in the biosynthetic machinery of various metabolites and assist in decorating their core skeletal structures. The present study entails the isolation and functional characterization of castasterone synthase (CYP85A69) from W. somnifera. The full length WsCYP85A69, having an open reading frame of 1413 bp, encodes 470 amino acid residues. Further, in vitro conversion of 6-deoxocastasterone into castasterone validated its oxidative functionality. Product formation was confirmed using LC-PDA-MS with a m/z value of 506 [M+ACN]+. In planta transient over-expression of WsCYP85A69 significantly enhanced castasterone, stigmasterol and withanolides (WS-I, WS-II, WS-III). Artificial micro-RNA mediated silencing of WsCYP85A69 resulted in the reduced accumulation of castasterone, stigmasterol and withanolides (WS-I, WS-II, WS-III). Altogether, these non-complementary approaches plausibly suggest a key role of WsCYP85A69 in the biosynthesis of castasterone and the accumulation of withanolides and stigmasterol. Furthermore, a promoter analysis of WsCYP85A69 resulted in the identification of several potential cis-regulatory elements. Elicitations, given on the basis of identified cis-regulatory elements, demonstrated methyl jasmonate as an effective inducer of WsCYP85A69. Overall, these empirical findings suggest that functional characterization of WsCYP85A69 may conceivably be helpful to unravel the mechanism of brassinosteroids biosynthesis and could also pave the way for targeted metabolic engineering.

Withania somnifera and Eclipta alba Ameliorate Oxidative Stress Induced Mitochondrial Dysfunction in an Animal Model of Alzheimer’s Disease

Abstract: Objective: To investigate the protective effects of the methanolic extract of Withania somnifera roots and Eclipta alba whole plant inameliorating oxidative damage and mitochondrial dysfunction in the rat brain. Methods: The methanolic extracts of W. somnifera and E. alba were analyzed for their total phenolics and flavonoid content. In vitro antioxidant activity was evaluated by employing DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging assays. Anti-amnesic activity of methanolic extracts of W. somnifera and E. alba (50, 100 and 200 mg/kg, p. o.) after 8 days dosing was studied in comparison with the standard drug Donepezil hydrochloride and Piracetam treatment. On 8 th day, 90 minutes after the administration of last dose, elevated plus maze was carried out and subsequently animals were sacrificed and brain homogenate was prepared to estimate lipid peroxidation and MTT reduction as current markers of antioxidant status and cell viability, respectively. Results: The methanolic extracts showed high phenolic and flavonoid content and also showed comparable antioxidant activity with standard reference. Results of elevated plus maze demonstrated protection from memory deficit. MEW Sand MEEA at doses 100 and 200 mg/kg showed significant decrease in the transfer latency as compared to the toxicant and control group. MEWS and MEEA at 200mg/kg produced a reduction MDA content of 51.49±0.15 nmol/g tissue and 50.23±0.50 nmol/g tissue, respectively comparable to 47.96±0.06 nmol/g tissue of Donepezil hydrochloride 3 mg/kg. 200mg/kg dose of MEWS and MEEA were effective in increasing the reduction of MTT 72.01% and 71.59%, respectively comparable to 66.33% of Piracetam 200mg/kg. Conclusion: Withania somnifera and Eclipta alba could be potential candidates demonstrating neuroprotective activity in oxidative stress induced mitochondrial dysfunction.