Ashwagandha
The Ashwagandha Plant
Ashwagandha- the Indian ginseng
Ashwagandha - also known as Indian Winter Cherry has the Botanical name Withania Somnifera -It is a shrub belonging to Solanace family. It is grown in the western India, Gujarat, MP, Punjab and in Himalaya
Ashwagandha gets its name because its roots have the odor of horse. ( Ashwa = horse , gandha = odor ). It is called by another name Varaha karni because its leaves resemble pig’s ear.
Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is also known as winter cherry, Indian ginseng, and a number of other regional names. The word ashwagandha in Sanskrit actually means the smell of a horse, which probably refers to the distinctly strong aroma from its roots.6 This greyish-colored evergreen shrub is native to parts of Africa, India, and the Middle East, but is now grown in many other temperate regions as well.1,10
A member of the nightshade family (like tomatoes and eggplants), ashwagandha can grow up to seven feet in height in warm climates, has greenish-yellow flowers when in full bloom, and small orange berries (when mature).10-11 Similar to turmeric and ginseng, the roots are the primary medicinal component of the plant, but the fruits and leaves also offer some therapeutic value.1
For centuries, Ayurvedic medicine has used the ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) plant as an aphrodisiac, to remedy general weakness and exhaustion, as well as for its stress-relieving qualities.1 In Ayurveda, certain herbal formulas are considered to be rejuvenating. These formulas are called Rasáyana tonics, and they are typically taken over long periods of time to regenerate both brain and body tissue.2 In rare cases an herb is so potent and has so many health benefits that Ayurveda considers it to be a Rasáyana therapy on its own.3 Ashwagandha is one such herb.
Modern medical research indicates that ashwagandha exerts a number of effects that may prove beneficial to humans, including:1,4
anti-inflammatory
Ashwagandha- the Indian ginseng
Ashwagandha - also known as Indian Winter Cherry has the Botanical name Withania Somnifera -It is a shrub belonging to Solanace family. It is grown in the western India, Gujarat, MP, Punjab and in Himalaya
Ashwagandha gets its name because its roots have the odor of horse. ( Ashwa = horse , gandha = odor ). It is called by another name Varaha karni because its leaves resemble pig’s ear.
Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is also known as winter cherry, Indian ginseng, and a number of other regional names. The word ashwagandha in Sanskrit actually means the smell of a horse, which probably refers to the distinctly strong aroma from its roots.6 This greyish-colored evergreen shrub is native to parts of Africa, India, and the Middle East, but is now grown in many other temperate regions as well.1,10
A member of the nightshade family (like tomatoes and eggplants), ashwagandha can grow up to seven feet in height in warm climates, has greenish-yellow flowers when in full bloom, and small orange berries (when mature).10-11 Similar to turmeric and ginseng, the roots are the primary medicinal component of the plant, but the fruits and leaves also offer some therapeutic value.1
For centuries, Ayurvedic medicine has used the ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) plant as an aphrodisiac, to remedy general weakness and exhaustion, as well as for its stress-relieving qualities.1 In Ayurveda, certain herbal formulas are considered to be rejuvenating. These formulas are called Rasáyana tonics, and they are typically taken over long periods of time to regenerate both brain and body tissue.2 In rare cases an herb is so potent and has so many health benefits that Ayurveda considers it to be a Rasáyana therapy on its own.3 Ashwagandha is one such herb.
Modern medical research indicates that ashwagandha exerts a number of effects that may prove beneficial to humans, including:1,4
anti-inflammatory
References: University of Maryland Medical Center: Anaphylaxis Article reviewed by Mia Paul Last updated on: Aug 24, 2010