In Ayurvedic medicine, Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha) is wall known for its anti-stress activity. A passive rat experimental model, where the animals are subjected to multiple stress of cold, hypoxia, restraint (C-H-R) has been developed to evaluate adaptogenic properlJes of vadous fracUons of W. somnifera root extracts. We have carded out extraction of roots of W. somnifera with water and further Isolated one of the active constituents called compound X and also tested its anti-stress activity in C-H-R model. The effect of administration of W. somnifera water suspension (350 mglKg bw) and compound X (20mglKg bw) on the fall and recovery of colonic temperature was noted. There was an increase of -38% and -64% in the time taken to attain T,= 23~ by rats given a single dose of fresh aqueous suspension and biologically active constituent (Compound X) respectively, where as decrease in the recovery time to attain T,r 37~ is -13% and -33% respectively, as compared to control group. It is clear that rats treated with the fresh aqueous suspension and compound X of Virdhania somnifera, could withstand the multiple stress of C-H-R better than control group.
The results show that the a new species of withanolide, 1-oxo-5beta, 6beta-epoxy-witha-2-ene-27-ethoxy-olide (compound-1) could prove to be an effective agent to counteract C-H-R stress.
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