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| Latin Name |
English Name |
Sanskrit Names |
Hindi Name |
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Withania somnifera
Dunal (Solanaceae)
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Winter Cherry |
Ashvagandha,
Hayahvaya, Vajigandha |
Asgandh |
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| History |
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In Ayurveda, Asvagandha,
which means "smelling like a horse or mare" in Sanskrit,
was used as an aphrodisiac and geriatric tonic and treatment
of rheumatism, cough, consumption, etc. The Greek physician
Theophrastus, described this plant, which was recorded in the
Arabic 'Kaknaj-el-manoum'. Rheede called it 'peVetti' and stated
that a vulnerary ointment was prepared from the leaves. In the
late 1880s, Dr. Trebut investigated its reputation for hypnotic
properties. P.L. Simmonds1 stated that the plant
was used at the Civil Hospital, Alger, as a sedative and hypnotic.
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| Habitat |
It is tomentose under-shrub. The taproot is well developed,
stout and fleshy. The leaves are ovate, sub-acute and pubescent. Flowers are greenish or
lirud yellow. Corolla is divided rather more than ½ way down. Berry is red enclosed
in the inflated calyx. The seed are reniform and yellow.
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| Morphology
Description (Habit) |
W.somnifera
is an erect, evergreen, tomentose shrub. The roots are stout, fleshy
and whitish brown; the leaves are simple ovate, glabrous; the flowers
are inconspicuous, greenish or lurid-yellow, in axillary, umbellate
cymes; the berries are globose, orange-red when mature, enclosed in
the persistent calyx and have yellow, reniform seeds.
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| Principal
Constituents |
Biochemically heterogeneous
alkaloids including cuscohygrine, anahygrine, tropine, pseudotropine,
anaferine. The plant has steroidal lactones - withanolides, withaferin,
which are estrogenic compounds.
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| Indications |
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Aswagandha is used in asthma and
as a uterine sedative. The total alkaloids showed relaxant and antispasmodic
effects against several spasmogens on intestinal, uterine, bronchial,
tracheal and blood-vascular muscles.
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| Product
Range |
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Abana (HeartCare),
Geriforte (GeriCare / StressCare), Mentat (MindCare), Mentat syrup,
Reosto, Tentex forte (VigorCare for Men), Anti-Stress Massage Oil,
Nourishing Baby Oil, Nourishing Skin Cream, Anxocare, Galactin Vet, Geriforte Aqua, Geriforte Vet, Immunol,
Speman forte Vet, Tentex forte Vet, Ashvagandha.
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| Reference |
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- Amer. J. Pharm. Feb. 1891.
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