Withania somnifera is sometimes called ashwagandha. Withania is a herb used in traditional Ayurvedic medicine, and modern science has corroborated that withania has significant therapeutic potential. For example, studies show that withania possesses anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antitumour, antistress, immunomodulatory, anti-fatigue and rejuvenating properties. The beneficial properties of withania likely stem from its ability to act as an adaptogen in animals, such that it can prevent external stresses from disrupting normal physiological function. This ability may be the result of a number of closely structurally related phytochemicals called withanolides. Withanolides are steroidal lactones. Withania also contains a number of other potentially therapeutic phytochemicals including saponins, sitoindosides and alkaloids. Withania compares favourably to ginseng in terms of its antistress and antifatigue effects, and researchers have noted the similarity of the effects between the two plants.
Withania somnifera is known by a number of common names including withania, dunal, withaferin, Indian ginseng and ashwagandha. Image of withania somnifera. Image from: By Ton Rulkens00 – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https:// commons.wikimedia.org/ w/ index.php?curid=62026407.
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