Recent advances in elucidating the biological properties of Withania somnifera and its potential role in health benefits

Abstract

Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal (Solanaceae), also known as ashwagandha, is an important medicinal plant that is widely used as a home remedy for several diseases in the Indian subcontinent and other parts of the world. W. somnifera is a dietary supplement composed of various nutrients, polyphenols and alkaloids that have free radical scavenging capacity, as well as other chemical constituents that possess anti-inflammatory, antitumor, anti-stress, antioxidant, immunomodulatory, and rejuvenating properties. The mechanism of action for these properties are not fully understood. W. somnifera also appears to influence the endocrine, cardiopulmonary and central nervous systems. Toxicity studies reveal that W. somnifera can be used without side effects. The findings presented in this review are very encouraging and indicate that this herb should be studied more extensively to confirm these results and to reveal other potential therapeutic effects.

De Novo Assembly, Functional Annotation and Comparative Analysis of Withania somnifera Leaf and Root Transcriptomes to Identify Putative Genes Involved in the Withanolides Biosynthesis

“…The medicinal properties of W. somnifera have been correlated with withanolides and their glycoconjugates (glycowithanolides) present in various plant parts [3], [10]. Withanolides, a group of naturally occurring secondary metabolites, are generally C-28 steroidal lactones in which C-22 and C-26 are oxidized to form lactone ring [11].…”

Evaluation of anti-inflammatory effect ofWithania somniferaroot on collagen-induced arthritis in rats

“…Phytochemically, this plant is unique because it possesses the largest and most diverse set of withanolides (Alam et al, 2011). The chemistry of Withania species has been extensively studied and several groups of chemical constituents such as steroidal lactones, alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, and saponins, etc., have been identified, extracted, and isolated (Mir et al, 2012).…”

Evaluation of effect of highly standardized aqueous extract of roots and leaves of Withania somnifera on cold pressor test induced cardiovascular changes in healthy human subjects

“…33 Pre-clinical studies have demonstrated that the cardio protective activity of Withania somnifera is mainly due to its antioxidant and anti-apoptotic activity, both of which constitute the antistress properties. 34 It increases the level of antioxidant enzymes such as glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, catalase, creatinine phosphokinase and lactate dehydrogenase. It also inhibits lipid-peroxidation, comparable to vitamin E, a known cardio protective antioxidant.…”