Introduction:

Ashwagandha or Withania somnifera is a popular herb in the Ayurvedic

system of medicine. It is a small shrub that belongs to the family
Solanaceae. It might be useful for different diseases and mostly as a
nervine tonic (has a soothing effect on nerves). Ashwagandha is commonly
called Indian Ginseng or Indian winter cherry. Ashwagandha is known for
its rasayana (tonic) property. Rasayana is a herbal or metallic formulation
that stimulates a youthful physical and mental state of health as well as
happiness.1

Ashwagandha is cultivated in dry regions of South Asia, Africa, and Central

Asia. More than 50 chemical constituents have been isolated from different
parts of the ashwagandha plant.

Properties of Ashwagandha:
The potential properties of ashwagandha are:

It might be help with pain relief and sleep

It may act as a diuretic (expelling urine from the body)
It may act as an astringent (constricting body tissues)
It may be an antihelminthic (acting against parasitic worms)
It may be thermogenic (heat-producing).1
It might have anti-inflammatory (reduces swelling) potential
It may be an anti-pyretic (reducing fever)
It may have depurative (detoxifying) properties.1
It may be heart-protective
It might act as a sedative (inducing sleep)
It may be thyroprotective (protecting the thyroid gland)
It might have hypoglycemic (blood sugar lowering) property.3
Potential Uses of Ashwagandha:
The potential uses of ashwagandha for human health are as follows

Potential use of ashwagandha for anxiety and depression:

Ashwagandha might have anxiolytic (anxiety-relieving) properties that are
similar to that of the drug lorazepam. According to an animal study, both
ashwagandha and lorazepam might help reduce anxiety in animal models.
Ashwagandha might also exhibit potential antidepressant properties. This
indicates that ashwagandha might help with depression and anxiety.1
However, more research is required. Anxiety and depression are that may
need serious attention and one should seek medical help from a
professional for it.

Potential use of ashwagandha for arthritis:

Ashwagandha might have potential anti-arthritic properties that may be
widely accepted and reported. Ashwagandha might help relieve pain by
soothing the nervous system. In an experimental study, patients were given
a formula containing ashwagandha. This herbal formulation showed the
potential to reduce the severity of pain and disability.1,4 However, arthritis
is a serious condition and must be diagnosed and treated by a doctor.

Potential use of ashwagandha for cognition (mental processes involved in

acquiring knowledge and understanding)
Ashwagandha is a popular Ayurvedic rasayana and belongs to
medhyarasayanas, a sub-group of rasayanas. Medhya means
mental/intellectual ability. Ashwagandha might help enhance memory and
intelligence. This potential of ashwagandha for cognition was seen in
children with compromised memory and old age as anecdotal evidence.1
However, such claims lack scientific back-up. Therefore, more research is
required.

Potential use of ashwagandha for stress:

The circulatory system and cardiovascular health are adversely affected
due to mental stress. Stress also affects the body’s antioxidant defence
system. Ashwagandha might help the body adapt to stress. It may also
effective in improving mental and physical health.5 However, more
research is required to ascertain such claims.

Potential use of ashwagandha for pain:

In a study, treatment with an aqueous extract of ashwagandha showed
potential to increase the pain threshold (a point beyond which a trigger
produces pain) compared to that of placebo showing that ashwagandha
might be an analgesic agent.4 However, further research is required to
state these as concrete facts.

Other potential uses of ashwagandha:

Ashwagandha might help deal with problems related to sleep and may
contain sleep-inducing properties. It might also help one to fall asleep faster
and help have an improved sleep quality.

Conclusion
The available scientific data support the conclusion that Ashwagandha is a
real potent regenerative tonic (Rasayana of Ayurveda), due to its multiple
pharmacological actions like anti-stress, neuroprotective, antitumor,
anti-arthritic, analgesic and anti-inflammatory etc. It is useful for different
types of diseases like Parkinson, dementia, memory loss, stress induced
diseases, malignoma and others.

Ashwagandha is used as a household remedy by Indians, who consider it

as the best tonic for old people and children, and as aphrodisiac by young
people. It is one of the best nervine tonics of Ayurveda, the most ancient
system of Medical Sciences. Our clinical experience showed that besides
the enumerated neurological conditions, brain strokes causing paralysis
and neuronal deficit also improve in the long term treatment with
Ashwagandha. We are also using it in all forms of cancer including prostate
and lung cancers, especially in last stages, giving the patients lot of health
benefits. We have some cases of lung cancer who have refused modern
therapy and recovered clinically and radiologically with our therapy of
Ashwagandha.