THERAPEUTIC POTENTIAL OF WITHANIA SOMNIFERA: A REPORT ON PHYTO-PHARMACOLOGICAL PROPERTIES

Withania somnifera belongs to the Solanaceaefamily, commonly known as Ashwagandha, Indian ginseng or Winter cherry. It is an important commercial medicinal crop, considered as similar to Panax ginseng in Chinese medicine. Different parts of this plant are used in traditional medicine for the treatment of various ailments. It provides defense against diseases, adverse environmental factors and helps to retard the aging process. Ashwagandha exhibits a wide range of therapeutic properties by tuning the endocrine, cardiopulmonary, central nervous system and sexual behavior without any toxicity. The root has been used most frequently for therapeutic uses and is a constituent of over 200 formulations in Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani medicines. There are several reports to establish its immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, antistress, memory enhancing, antiparkinsonian, hypolipidemic, antibacterial, cardiovascular, antioxidant, antitumor and adaptogenic properties. These properties stem from the characteristic bioactive phytochemicals such as alkaloids and phytosterols present in the plant. This review presents a detailed survey on various traditional uses, phytochemical composition and pharmacological properties of Withania somnifera