Ashwagandha, Withania Somnifera, Beauty and Health supplies, Look-Best

Ashwagandha - Withania somnifera

Biological Name: Withania Somnifera, Physalis flexuosa

Sanskrit Name: Ashwagandha

Parts used: Root and seed.

This herb is used for over 4000 years in India. Aswagandha is a very important herb in ayurveda, the traditional Indian medicine. It is used for tumors, inflammation (including arthritis), and a wide range of infectious diseases. The shoots and seeds are also used as food and to thicken milk in India.

Traditional uses of ashwagandha among tribal peoples in Africa include fevers and inflammatory conditions. Ashwagandha is frequently a constituent of Ayurvedic formulas, including a relatively common one known as shilajit. native of India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, Aswagandha is an important herb used in Ayurveda. The name comes from the peculiar odor of this herb, smell akin to that of a sweaty horse.

Compounds known as withanolides are believed to account for the multiple medicinal applications of ashwagandha. These molecules are steroidal and bear a resemblance, both in their action and appearance, to the active constituents of Asian ginseng (Panax ginseng) known as ginsenosides. (Some people do call ashwagandha as “Indian ginseng”).

Aswagandha is an erect branched shrub with a greenish or lurid yellow flowers. Aswagandha in India is akin to ginseng in other parts of the orient. Both are touted for their longevity enhancing and sexually stimulating properties.

Ashwagandha contains flavonoids and many active ingredients of the withanolide class. Several studies over the past few years have indicated that ashwagandha has anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor , anti-stress, antioxidant, mind-boosting, immune-enhancing, and rejuvenating properties (see studies at bottom of page). Historically ashwagandha has also been noted to have sex-enhancing properties.

The antioxidant effect of active principles of ashwagandha may explain, at least in part, the reported anti-stress, cognition-facilitating, anti-inflammatory and anti-aging effects produced by them in experimental animals, and in clinical situations.

Aphrodisiac Properties of Ashwagandha
Laboratory studies show Aswagandha can produce nitric oxide which is known to dilate blood vessels.
Ashwagandha, which belongs to the pepper family, is found in India and Africa.
For energy-related predicaments, many people turn to ashwagandha, increasingly known as the "Indian ginseng", Ashwagandha, or "Winter cherry" that provides energy and a rejuvenating lift while at the same time offering a calming effect.

The chemical components in ashwagandha are remarkably similar to those found in ginseng, and yet studies have demonstrated its superiority in stress-relieving abilities when compared to its Chinese cousin. Ayurvedic healers have long prescribed the herb to treat exhaustion caused by both physical and mental strain, and scientific research has recently borne out this practice. A double-blind study found that ashwagandha prevented stress-related ulcers and vitamin C deficiency, and increased energy and endurance when under stress.

Ashwagandha's benefit lies in its action as an adaptive, or a substance that helps the body become more flexible and capable of handling change. This applies especially to the muscles. Indeed, the herb's adaptogenic effect has far-reaching implications. Ashwagandha enjoys the reputation in the West as an aphrodisiac, a use supported by a recent study in which more than 70 percent of men reported increased libido and sexual function after taking the herb. ergot is indicated.

It is well established for its effectiveness in dysmenorrhoea.Produces an estrogen-like effect that enhances the repair of the endometrial and stops bleeding. It is also useful in internal bleeding, hemorrhoids and also hemorrhagic dysentery.Oxytocic activity of the plant was seen in rat and human isolated uterine preparations. Estrogen-primed or gravid uterus was more sensitive to the action of the alcoholic extract. Pentolinium bitartrate completely blocked the oxytocic action.

Seed extract is found effective against dermatophytic fungi. Its use in treatment of excessive uterine bleeding is extensive in India. The plant is used also in dysmenorrheal and for depression in women. Bleeding from piles is reduced with the plant. In the commonly used doses side effects are rare.