Withania somnifera (Hindi -Asgandh /Ashwagandha, Bengali -Asbagandha, Gujarati -Aksand /Asvagandha, Assamese -Asbagandha, Marathi -Ashwagandha, Oriya -Ashwagandha, Urdu -Asgand /Asgand nagori, Sanskrit -Ashvagandha /Rajgandha /Ashvakandika, Kannada -Angara beru /Sogade beru /Panneru, Malayalam -Amukkuram /Pevetti, Tamil -Amukkira, Telugu -Aswagandha, Popular -Ashwagandha /Indian ginseng /Poison gooseberry /Winter Cherry) Solanaceae. Syn -Physalis somnifera, W. kansuensis. It is a short woody shrub of 2 feet tall. Flowers are small, greenish and fruits are red small berries. Leaves are simple, ovate, 10 cm long. It is native to the Indian Subcontinent that grows naturally in India, Afghanistan Pakistan, Spain parts of the Middle East and Africa. Within India, it is distributed in the sub-Himalayan tracts upto an altitude of 1000 m. It has antioxidant, antibacterial, anti inflammatory, anticancer, antidiabetic, diuretic, antitumor, rejuvenating, aphrodisiac, antifungal, galactagogue, antiepileptic, anabolic, anticonvulsant,immunomodulatory, hepatoprotective, cardioprotective, nervine tonic, anxiolytic, antidepressant, anti-aging, wound healing ,sedative and antitoxic activities. Mainly root powder is used for medicinal purposes. Leaf or root paste is used to treat painful swellings. It is a powerful gift of Nature to human life. It has been a vital herb in the Ayurveda and indigenous medicinal system for over 3000 years. It is a revitalizing herb that maintains proper nourishment of tissues, particularly muscles and bones. It is used in the treatment of insomnia, anxiety, tuberculosis, tumors, asthma, bronchitis, leucoderma, backache, menstrual disorders, hiccups, chronic liver diseases, pain and swellings, one sided paralysis (hemiplegia), arthritis, sexual diseases like low sperm count, premature ejaculation, erectile dysfunction, parkinson disease, neurological disorders, etc. The main phytoconstituents are withanolides, alkaloids, glycosides, chlorogenic acid, amino acids, tannins, flavonoids, volatile oil, steroids. The shoots contain crude protein, scopoletin, Ca and P.
– Mukherjee Bk
