Topic
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.
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TL;DR: Withania somnifera (WS) Dunal, like PG, has significant antistress adaptogenic activity, confirming the clinical use of the plant in Ayurveda.
Abstract: Withania somnifera (WS) Dunal is classified in Ayurveda, the ancient Hindu system of medicine, as a rasayana, a group of plant-derived drugs reputed to promote physical and mental health, augment resistance of the body against disease and diverse adverse environmental factors, revitalise the body in debilitated conditions and increase longevity. These attributes are remarkably similar to the properties ascribed to adaptogens like Panax ginseng (PG) in contemporary medicine. As such, the adaptogenic activity of a standardised extract of WS roots was investigated against a rat model of chronic stress (CS). The stress procedure was mild, unpredictable footshock, administered once daily for 21 days to adult male Wistar rats. CS induced significant hyperglycaemia, glucose intolerance, increase in plasma corticosterone levels, gastric ulcerations, male sexual dysfunction, cognitive deficits, immunosuppression and mental depression. These CS induced perturbations were attenuated by WS (25 and 50 mg/kg po) and by PG (100 mg/kg po), administered 1 h before footshock for 21 days. The results indicate that WS, like PG, has significant antistress adaptogenic activity, confirming the clinical use of the plant in Ayurveda.
277 citations
TL;DR: The results indicate that, at least part of chronic stress-induced pathology may be due to oxidative stress, which is mitigated by WSG, lending support to the clinical use of the plant as an antistress adaptogen.
271 citations
TL;DR: Investigation of the anxiolytic and antidepressant actions of the bioactive glycowithanolides of Withania somnifera, isolated from WS roots, in rats support the use of WS as a mood stabilizer in clinical conditions of anxiety and depression in Ayurveda.
263 citations
TL;DR: The data demonstrate that Withaferin A binds Hsp90, inhibits HSp90 chaperone activity through an ATP-independent mechanism, results in Hsp 90 client protein degradation, and exhibits in vivo anticancer activity against pancreatic cancer.
260 citations
TL;DR: The immunomodulatory activities of an Indian Ayurvedic medicinal preparation, i.e. WST and WS2, were studied in mice for immune inflammation: active paw anaphylaxis and delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH), revealing a significant increase in white blood cell counts and platelet counts.
235 citations