Ashwagandha

Figure 1. The Ashwagandha (Winter Cherry) fruit of the Withania somnifera plant.

Ashwagandha or Winter Cherry is the fruit of the plant Withania somnifera, an evergreen shrub in family of Solanaceae that primarily grows in India, the Middle East, and parts of Africa. Ashwagandha can also be found in Nepal, Sri Lanka, China, and Yemen.

The main phytochemical constituents of Ashwagandha are withanolides. Withanolides are structurally similar to the ginsenosides of Panax ginseng, leading to the plant commonly being called the "Indian ginseng". It is, however, not to be confused for the plant Panax ginseng.

Ashwagandha is a traditionally revered herb within the Indian Ayurvedic system of medicine as a Rasayana (i.e. tonic). It is traditionally used for various kinds of disease processes and specially as a nervine tonic.

Taken as a Dietary Supplement

Ashwagandha is traditionally used as an adaptogen--plants and mushrooms that help your body respond to stress, anxiety, fatigue, and overall wellbeing--thus it is taken to help with stress. It contains chemicals that might help calm the brain, reduce swelling, lower blood pressure, and alter the human immune system. However, there is insufficient scientific evidence at this time to confirm the efficacy of Ashwagandha in these applications.

Side Effects

• Ashwagandha may cause adverse effects if taken alone or together with prescription drugs.
• Side effects may include diarrhoea, headache, sedation, or nausea.
• Ashwagandha should not be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding.