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.

Liquid Chromatography – Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS) Analysis of Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha) Root Extract Treated with the Energy of Consciousness

Abstract: Withania somnifera (ashwagandha) root extract is very popular ancient herbal medicine. The objective of the study was to characterize and evaluate the impact of The Trivedi Effect®-Biofield Energy Healing Treatment (Energy of Consciousness) on phytoconstituents present in the ashwagandha root extract using LC-MS. Ashwagandha root extract was divided into two parts. One part was denoted as the control, while the other part was defined as The Trivedi Effect® - Biofield Energy Treated sample, which received Energy of Consciousness Healing Treatment remotely from eighteen renowned Biofield Energy Healers. The LC-MS analysis of the control and treated samples showed a very close retention time (Rt), indicated that the polarity of the phytoconstituents present in the root extract are same. The numbers of peaks observed in the total ion chromatograms were 28 and 29 in the control and treated samples, respectively. The change in the peak height% of the phytoconstituents in the treated sample was altered significantly within the range of -50.91% to 118.12% compared with the control sample. Similarly, the change in the peak area% of most of the phytoconstituents in the treated ashwagandha was significantly altered within the range of -54.95% to 66.95% compared with the control sample. An additional peak was appeared in the treated sample at Rt of 5.72 minutes, which was not found in the control sample. The LC-MS spectra indicated the presence of possible withanolides like -hydroxy-2,3-dihydro-withanolide F, withanolide A, withaferine A, withanone, withanolide D, ixocarpalactone A, withanolide S, thiowithanolide, etc. in both the samples. The peak are percentage (%) was altered in the identified withanolides, but withanolide sulfoxide was increased significantly by 12.44% in the treated sample compared with the control sample. These results indicated that The Trivedi Effect® - Biofield Energy Treatment might have an impact on the intrinsic physicochemical properties of the phytoconstituents present in the ashwagandha root extract. This could be the probable cause of alteration in the peak height, peak area, and appearance of a new peak in the treated sample. As a result, the concentrations of the phytoconstituents altered in the treated sample compared with the control sample. The treated ashwagandha root extract would be helpful for designing better pharmaceutical/nutraceutical formulations which might be providing a better therapeutic response against autoimmune diseases, nervous and sexual disorders, infectious diseases, antiaging, diabetes, cancer, ulcer, immunological disorders, stress, arthritis, etc.

Antioxidant, Anticancer and Antibacterial Activity of Withania somnifera Aqueous Root Extract

Abstract: Aims: To evaluate total antioxidant capacity, anticancer activity and antibacterial effects Withaniasomnifera aqueous-root extracts.Study Design: In vitro study.Place of Study: School of Biomedical Sciences, Ulster University, UK.Methodology: Total antioxidant capacity (TAC) of whole powder and freeze dried W. somniferaaqueous-root extracts was determined using FRAP, DPPH, Folin and ABTS assays. Anticanceractivity was accessed using MDA-MB-231 breast cells and Sulforhodamine B staining for cellviability. Antibacterial activity was by disk diffusion assay with penicillin, amoxicillin andstreptomycin as positive controls.Results: The TAC for W. somnifera extract was 86, 47, 195,or 443 gallic acid equivalents per 100gdry basis (mgGAE/ 100 g) us ing FRAP, DPPH, Folin or ABTS assays, respectively. CorrespondingTAC values for freeze dried W. somnifera aqueous-root extract were, 418, 553, 1898 or, 1770(mgGAE/100 g). W. somnifera aqueous-root extract inhibited MDA-MB-231 cell proliferation in adose-dependent manner with IC50 = 0.19 mg/ml (21 μM GAE). Nil antibacterial effects weredetected for freeze dried W. somnifera extract (0-1 mg/ml) across six species of bacteria tested.Conclusion: Withania somnifera root water extract showed significant antioxidant and anticanceractivity for MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells but no antibacterial activity under the conditions of this study.

The Efficacy of Traditional Medicinal Plants in Modulating the Main Protease of SARS‐CoV‐2 and Cytokine Storm

Abstract: Selected traditional medicinal plants exhibit therapeutic effects in coronavirus disease (Covid‐19) patients. This review aims to identify the phytochemicals from five traditional medicinal plants (Glycyrrhiza glabra, Nigella sativa, Curcuma longa, Tinospora cordifolia and Withania somnifera) with high potential in modulating the main protease (Mpro) activity and cytokine storm in Covid‐19 infection. The Mpro binding affinity of 13 plant phytochemicals were in the following order: Withanoside II>withanoside IV>withaferin A>α‐hederin>withanoside V>sitoindoside IX>glabridin>liquiritigenin, nigellidine>curcumin>glycyrrhizin>tinocordiside>berberine. Among these phytochemicals, glycyrrhizin, withaferin A, curcumin, nigellidine and cordifolioside A suppressed SARS‐CoV‐2 replication and showed stronger anti‐inflammatory activities than standard Covid‐19 drugs. Both preclinical and clinical evidences supported the development of plant bioactive compounds as Mpro inhibitors.

Impact of Fly Ash on Physical Properties of Waterlogged Soil, Plant Growth and Root Yield of Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal (Ashwagandha)

Abstract: A b s t r a c t K e y w o r d s In present study, to explore the possibility of using fly ash as soil modifier and micro nutrients supplier to upgrade soil for its use in cultivation of a medicinal plant Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha) and to improve the productivity of dry root yield. Results revealed that the application of fly ash in soil improved the physico-chemical properties of soil viz., bulk density, porosity and water holding capacity. The initial pH of soil and fly ash was 8 .2 and 7.8 respectively. Electrical conductivity of soil (0.416 dS/m) was higher as compared to fly ash (0.185 dS/m) and the bulk density of fly ash (1.02 g/cc) was lower as compared to soil (1.32 g/cc). The water holding capacity of soil and fly ash was 60.0% and 66.8% respectively. The plant growth parameters in terms of plant height and leaf area were found to be higher in maximum fly ash treated plot as compared to control plot during different growth stages of Withania somnifera . The root yield (35.545 g/plant and 39.002 g/plant) of Withania somnifera were found higher in maximum fly ash (20%) treatment compared to control plot in first and second year of cultivation. The outcome of this study reveals the bulk use of fly ash in the cultivation of medicinal plant (Ashwagandha), specifically enhances the plant growth and root yield, and also improves physico-chemical properties of the waterlogged soil. Fly ash Leaf area index Physical properties Root yield Withania somnifera

Pharmacognostic study of five medicinal plants of family solanaceae from district peshawar, pakistan

Abstract: research is a multidimensional including pharmacognostic, phytochemical evaluations and pharmacological activities and was conducted during 2009 – 2011 on Datura innoxia Miller, Solanum surattense Burm.f., Solanum nigrum Linn, Withania coagulans (Stocks) Dunal and Withania somnifera Linn.The pharmacognostic studies showed that Datura innoxia root was slightly pungent, cylindrical and had fibrous fracture while stem was slight green with trichomes.Leaves were alternate, dentate and ovate and fruits were succulent and capsule.Solanum nigrum root had uneven fracture while stem was dark green with trichomes.Leaves were sinuate to irregular dentate and ovate and fruits were berry.Solanum surattense root had uneven & fibrous fracture while stem was prostate, dark green, leaves were pinnatifid and elliptic oblong and fruits were berry. Withania somnifera root had fibrous fracture while stem was errect, shrubby, leaves were ovate, acute, entire and fruits were berry. Withania coagulans root had fibrous fracture while stem was errect, shrubby, leaves were ovate, obtuse, entire and fruits were berry.The anatomical study of the root exhibited that the roots of these plants had epidermis, casparian strips, tracheae, medullary rays, vascular bundles, while the stem contained epidermis, hypodermis, vascular tissues, pith, medullary rays, endodermis, pericycle, cortical cells were present in all the five plants that were investigated and besides these idioblast cells were only present in the stem of S. nigrum. The vein islet number was highest (22.5 – 27.75) in W. coagulans and was lowest (11.5 – 16.5) in D. innoxia, while the vein termination number was highest (22.5 – 26.75) in W. somnifera and was lowest (11.75 – 17.5) in W. coagulans and the palisade ratio was highest (27.5 34.5) in W.coagulans and was lowest (10.75 – 18.5) in S. nigrum.The study reported variation in the structure and distribution of stomata in these plants and included types, frequency, density, stomatal index, size of guard cells & stomatal pore and percentage of the open and close stomata. In these five plants the upper epidermises contain anisocytic, anomotetracytic and amphianisocytic and the lower epidermises of these plants contain paracytic, anomotetracytic, anisocytic and amphianisocytic. The statistical evaluation of the stomata and epidermis included mean, variance, standard deviation, coefficient of variance, standard error and 95% confidence interval for mean.Alkaloids, saponins, proteins, fats, anthraquinone derivatives, cellulose, calcium oxalates were present in all parts of the plants species while mucilage, starch and tanins were present in some parts while absent in other parts of the same plants.ANOVA showed that ash and moisture contents was non significant between the plant parts and phenological stagesCrude protein was non significant between the plant parts and phenological stages except for Datura innoxia parts but not for its phenolgical stages. While crude fats were non significant between the plant parts and phonological stages except for S. nigrum and S.surattense parts but not for their phenolgical stages. Crude fiber was non significant between the plant parts and phonological stages except for Datura innoxia parts but not for its phenolgical stages. And carbohydrates was non significant between the plant parts and phenological stages except for the phenolgical stages of S. surattense and W. coagulans.The mineral analysis showed the presence of Cr, Zn, Cu, Mn, Fe, Ca, K, Mg and Na in the roots, stems, leaves, flowers and fruits of the plants in three different phenological stages. Only the micro-minerals were present in traces while the macrominerals were present high quantities as compared to the micro-minerals.The methanolic extract of D. innoxia exhibited maximum activity against Escherchia coli and minimum activity against Klebsella pneumoni, S. nigrum showed maximum activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and minimum activity against Staphylococcus aereus, S. surattense showed maximum activity against P. aeruginosa and minimum activity against Salmonella typhi, W. somnifera exhibited maximum activity against K. pneumoni and minimum activity against S. typhi, W. coagulans exhibited maximum activity against S. typhi and minimum activity against S. aereus.The methanolic extract of the D. innoxia, S. surattense and W.somnifera showed maximum activity while in case of S. nigrum and W. coagulans the acetone extract exhibited maximum activity against the bacterial strains.As far as the antifungal activity the methanolic extract of D. innoxia exhibited maximum activity against Aspergillus parasiticus and low activity against Fusarium solani, S. nigrum showed maximum activity against A. parasiticus and low activity against A. flavus and Candida glabarata, S. surattense showed maximum activity against C. glabarata and low activity against F. solani, W. somnifera exhibited maximum activity against Candida albicans and low activity against C. glabarata and W. coagulans showed maximum activity against Aspergillus niger and low activity against A. flavus.Overall the methanolic extract showed maximum activity as compared to the acetone extract All the plants showed cytoxicity to some extents.The LD50 of the methanolic extract of D.innoxia was 94.86, S. nigrum was 93.73, S. surattense was 95.18, W.somnifera was 93.66 and W. coagulans was 94.86. LD50 of the acetone extract of D. innoxia was 87.75, S. nigrum was 86.78, S. surattense was 74.31, W. somnifera was 86.56 and W. coagulans was 93.66.Both the methanolic and acetone extracts of the all the plants are phytotoxic in nature. But the toxicity varied with the change in concentration.The maximum toxicity (87.27%) was exhibited by the methanolic extract of D. innoxia at the concentration of 10 A¬g/ml and lowest toxicity (54.54%) was showed at the concentration of 1000 A¬g/ml by W.coagulans.Themaximum toxicity (92.72%) was exhibited by the acetone extract of S. nigrum at the concentration of 10 A¬g/ml and lowest toxicity (54.54%) was showed at the concentration of 1000 A¬g/ml by D. innoxia, S. nigrum and W. coagulans. The maximum mortality was exhibited by methanolic extract of D. innoxia against Callobrochus analis and the minimum mortality was exhibited against Rhyzopertha dominica, S. nigrum showed maximum mortality against Trochoderma granarium and the minimum mortality against R. dominica.S.surattense exhibited maximum mortality against Sitophilus oryzae and the minimum mortality against T.granarium, W. somnifera showed maximum mortality against R.dominica and the minimum mortality against C. analis and W.coagulans exhibited maximum mortality against C. analis and the minimum mortality against R. dominica.Generally the methanolic extract showed the maximum mortality against these insects however, there were very few insects against which the acetone extract exhibited maximum mortality viz, D.innoxia against Tribolium castaneum, S. nigrum against R.dominica, S. surattense against C. analis.