Ashwagandha

A popular Ayurvedic herb, ashwagandha is often used in formulations prescribed for stress, strain, fatigue, pain, skin diseases, diabetes, gastrointestinal disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and epilepsy ⁽¹⁾. It is also used as a general tonic, to increase energy and improve health and longevity ⁽²⁾. Externally, it can be applied as a local analgesic ⁽³⁾. The active constituents are thought to include alkaloids, steroidal lactones, saponins, and withanolides.

In vitro studies suggest that ashwagandha has neuroprotective ⁽²⁶⁾ and anti-inflammatory properties which may protect against cartilage damage in osteoarthritis ⁽⁴⁾. Animal studies suggest antitumor, immunomodulatory, antioxidant, and anti-stress properties. In addition, improvements in hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, and insulin sensitivity have been detected in an animal model of type 2 diabetes ⁽⁵⁾. Other studies indicate cytotoxic, chemopreventative, immunomodulating ⁽⁸⁾, and radiosensitizing effects ^{(1) (9) (10)} and enhancement in chromosomal stability ⁽¹¹⁾.

Ashwagandha is rich in iron ⁽²⁾; small scale human studies suggest that it may promote growth in children and improve hemoglobin level, red blood cell count, sexual performance in adults ⁽²⁾, and may also be useful in treating male infertility ⁽²⁷⁾. An herbal tea containing ashwagandha was shown to increase natural killer cell activity in healthy volunteers with recurrent coughs and colds ⁽²²⁾. Data also indicate that ashwagandha may be useful in the treatment of anxiety ⁽²³⁾. In another clinical trial, an herbomineral formula containing ashwagandha was shown to benefit osteoarthritis ⁽¹³⁾. Preliminary data suggest benefits of ashwagandha in improving balance in patients with progressive degenerative cereberral ataxias ⁽²⁴⁾.

Ashwagandha also reduced growth of breast, central nervous system, colon, and lung cancer cells ⁽⁶⁾ without affecting normal cells ⁽⁷⁾. Ashwagandha may help prevent chemotherapy-induced neutropenia ⁽¹²⁾, but it has not been studied in cancer patients.