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Withania somnifera

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(Redirected from Ashwagandha)

Withania somnifera
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Solanales
Family: Solanaceae
Genus: Withania
Species:
W. somnifera
Binomial name
Withania somnifera
Synonyms[1]
List
    • Alicabon somniferum (L.) Raf.
    • Larnax morrisonii (Dunal) Miers
    • Physalis alpini J.Jacq.
    • Physalis flexuosa L.
    • Physalis scariosa Webb & Berthel.
    • Physalis somnifera L.
    • Physaloides somnifera (L.) Moench
    • Withania arborescens Dunal
    • Withania chevalieri A.E.Gonç.
    • Withania kansuensis Kuang & A. M. Lu
    • Withania microphysalis Suess
    • Withania morisonii Dunal
    • Withania mucronata Chiov.
    • Withania obtusifolia Täckh.
    • Withania sicula Lojac.
Flower

Withania somnifera, known commonly as ashwagandha,[2][3][4] is an evergreen shrub in the Solanaceae that is native to the Middle East and North Africa, other African regions, southern Europe, and Indian subcontinent.[2] Several other species in the genus Withania are morphologically similar.[3] Common names include Indian ginseng and winter cherry.[3][5]

The plant, particularly its root powder, has been used for centuries in traditional Indian medicine.[6] W. somnifera is commonly sold as a dietary supplement containing root or leaf powder or extracts.[3][7] It is undergoing research for potential effects on stress, anxiety, and sleep, but current clinical evidence is insufficient to confirm its safety or efficacy.[3][7][8][9]

It may cause side effects, and should be avoided during pregnancy or in people with hormone-sensitive conditions.[3][7][8] It has been linked to rare cases of liver injury, particularly in people with preexisting liver conditions.[8][10]

Description

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This species is a short shrub growing 35–75 cm (14–30 in) tall. Tomentose branches extend radially from a central stem. Leaves are dull green, elliptic, and usually up to 10–12 cm (3.9–4.7 in) long. The flowers are small, green, and bell-shaped. The ripe fruit is orange-red.[3]

Etymology

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The Latin species name somnifera means "sleep-inducing".[11] The name ashwagandha is a combination of the Sanskrit words ashva, meaning "horse", and gandha, meaning "smell", reflecting that the root has a strong, horse-like odor.[3]

Cultivation

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W. somnifera is cultivated in many of the drier regions of India. It is also found in Nepal, Sri Lanka, China, and Yemen.[12][13] It prefers dry, stony soil with sun to partial shade. It can be propagated from seeds in the early spring or from greenwood cuttings in the later spring.[14]

Diseases and pests

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Withania somnifera is prone to several pests and diseases. Leaf-spot disease caused by Alternaria alternata is the most prevalent disease, which occurs in a severe form in Punjab, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh. Leaf-spot disease reduces the concentration of its secondary metabolites.[15] The leaves are also prone to Alternaria dianthicola in India.[16]

A treehopper (Oxyrachis tarandus) feeds on the apical portions of the stem, making them rough and woody in appearance and brown in colour.[17]

The carmine red spider mite (Tetranychus urticae) is the most prevalent pest of the plant in India.[18] In recent years, this plant has been serving as a new reservoir host for an invasive mealybug species Phenacoccus solenopsis.[19]

Phytochemistry

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The main phytochemical constituents of W. somnifera are withanolides, a group of triterpene lactones that include withaferin A, alkaloids, steroidal lactones, tropine, and cuscohygrine.[3] Forty withanolides, twelve alkaloids, and various sitoindosides have been isolated from this plant species.[3][20] As these withanolides are structurally similar to the ginsenosides of Panax ginseng, W. somnifera is commonly referred to as "Indian ginseng".[3]

Traditional medicine and dietary supplements

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Although ashwagandha is used in Ayurveda, and is marketed in many countries as a dietary supplement, there is no medical evidence confirming it as safe or effective for treating any disorder.[7][8]

Adverse effects

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W. somnifera can cause hepatotoxicity, and its common use as a supplement has been linked to herb-induced liver injury,[8] particularly in people with preexisting liver conditions.[10]

W. somnifera may cause adverse effects if taken alone or together with prescription drugs.[3][4][21] The most common side effects include diarrhea, headache, sedation, or nausea, and the product should not be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding.[4][21] Ashwagandha may increase testosterone levels, which could adversely interact with cancer medications.[3][7][21]

[edit]
  • Fruits
    Fruits
  • Druggist's jar containing dried roots of Withania somnifera
    Druggist's jar containing dried roots of Withania somnifera
  • Dried graded roots of Withania somnifera
    Dried graded roots of Withania somnifera

References

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  1. ^ Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (2023). "Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Withania somnifera". Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 29 October 2011.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Ashwagandha". Drugs.com. 4 December 2023. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
  4. ^ a b c "Ashwagandha". MedlinePlus, US National Library of Medicine. 8 September 2023. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
  5. ^ "Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 13 February 2025.
  6. ^ Pasricha T (2 March 2024). "Advice | Should I take ashwagandha for sleep? Here's what the science says". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
  7. ^ a b c d e "Ashwagandha - Health Professional Fact Sheet". Office of Dietary Supplements, US National Institutes of Health. 2 May 2025. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
  8. ^ a b c d e Philips CA, Theruvath AH (April 2024). "A comprehensive review on the hepatotoxicity of herbs used in the Indian (Ayush) systems of alternative medicine". Medicine (Baltimore) (Review). 103 (16): e37903. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000037903. PMC 11029936. PMID 38640296.
  9. ^ "Ashwagandha in Dietary Supplement Products". Operation Supplement Safety (OPSS). Uniformed Services University. 12 July 2021. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
  10. ^ a b "Ashwagandha". LiverTox, US National Library of Medicine. 3 December 2024. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
  11. ^ Stearn, W. T. (1995). Botanical Latin: History, Grammar, Syntax, Terminology and Vocabulary (4th ed.). Timber Press. ISBN 978-0-88192-321-6.
  12. ^ 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. PMID 23142795.
  13. ^ Hugh Scott & Kenneth Mason, Western Arabia and the Red Sea, Naval Intelligence Division: London 1946, p. 597 ISBN 0-7103-1034-X.
  14. ^ Deni B (1995). Encyclopedia of herbs & their uses. Montréal: RD Press. ISBN 0888503342. OCLC 32547547.[page needed]
  15. ^ Pati PK, Sharma M, Salar RK, et al. (2009). "Studies on leaf spot disease of Withania somnifera and its impact on secondary metabolites". Indian Journal of Microbiology. 48 (4): 432–437. doi:10.1007/s12088-008-0053-y. PMC 3476785. PMID 23100743.
  16. ^ Maiti CK, Sen S, Paul AK, et al. (1 April 2007). "First Report of Alternaria dianthicola Causing Leaf Blight on Withania somnifera from India". Plant Disease. 91 (4): 467. doi:10.1094/PDIS-91-4-0467B. ISSN 0191-2917. PMID 30781215.
  17. ^ Sharma A, Pati P (2011). "First report of Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal, as a New Host of Cowbug (Oxyrachis tarandus, Fab.) in plains of Punjab, Northern India". World Applied Sci. J. 14 (9): 1344–1346.
  18. ^ Sharma, A., Pati, P. K. (2012). "First record of the carmine spider mite, Tetranychus urticae, infesting Withania somnifera in India". Journal of Insect Science. 12 (50): 1–4. doi:10.1673/031.012.5001. PMC 3476950. PMID 22970740.
  19. ^ Sharma, A., Pati, P. K. (2013). "First record of Ashwagandha as a new host to the invasive mealybug (Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley) in India". Entomological News. 123 (1): 59–62. doi:10.3157/021.123.0114. S2CID 85645762.
  20. ^ Gómez Afonso A, Fernandez-Lazaro D, Adams DP, et al. (10 July 2023). "Effects of Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha) on Hematological and Biochemical Markers, Hormonal Behavior, and Oxidant Response in Healthy Adults: A Systematic Review". Current Nutrition Reports. 12 (3): 465–477. doi:10.1007/s13668-023-00481-0. ISSN 2161-3311. PMC 10444651. PMID 37428341.
  21. ^ a b c "Ashwagandha". Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. 21 March 2023. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
[edit]
  • The dictionary definition of ashwagandha at Wiktionary
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