Ashwagandha
From DrugPedia: A Wikipedia for Drug discovery
Common name: Winter Cherry • Hindi: Ashwagandha अश्वगंधा, Rasbhari • Kannada: Kanchuki • Marathi: Ghoda, Tilli • Gujarati: Ghodaasun • Telugu: Vajigandha • Malayalam: Amukkuram • Tamil: Amukkuram
Botanical name: Withania somnifera
Family: Solanaceae (Potato family)
Ashwagandha, is native to drier parts of India. It is a perennial herb that reaches about 6 feet in nature. In the greenhouse they flower in the late fall and winter. Orange fruits in persistent papery calyxes follow the small greenish flowers. Ashwagandha is propagated by division, cuttings or seed. Seed is the best way to propagate them. Seed sown on moist sand will germinate in 14-21 days at 20° C. A postal stamp was issued by the Indian Postal Department to commemorate this flowers.
Medicinal uses: Ashwagandha has been a prized top notch adaptogenic tonic in India for 3000 - 4000 years. The plants contain the alkaloids withanine and somniferine, which are used to treat nervous disorders, intestinal infections and leprosy. All plant parts are used including the roots, bark, leaves, fruit and seed.
