Ashwagandha Root, C/S

Also Known As - Withania Somnifera, Ajagandha, Ashvagandha, Hayahvaya, Indian Ginseng, Kanaje Hindi, Vajigandha, Winter Cherry, Withania.

Organically Grown - USA/HAWAII

Overview - This plant is a member of the Solanaceae family and has over 4,000 years of traditional use in its native India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. It is a Medharasayan which is the Ayurvedic category of foods and nutrients that promote learning and memory retrieval. It is sometimes referred to as "Indian Ginseng" as it is traditionally used in conditions of debility, emaciation, impotence and premature aging. It is also sometimes referred to as Winter Cherry. The translation of Ashwagandha is roughly, "the smell and strength of a horse", alluding to its aphrodisiac properties. This plant is a Tonic and an Adaptogen. In the Middle East it is used to help promote normal sleep patterns and encourage a healthy inflammatory response.

• The name Ashwagandha is from the Sanskrit language and is a combination of the word ashva, meaning horse, and gandha, meaning smell. The root has a strong aroma that is described as “horse-like.”
• In Ayurvedic, Indian, and Unani medicine, ashwagandha is described as “Indian ginseng.” Ashwagandha is also used in traditional African medicine for a variety of ailments.

Medicinal Uses -  Adaptogens support the ability of an organism to cope with stress and thereby conserve energy. Ashwagandha rejuvenates and tonifies the entire system, especially the endocrine and immune systems. Ashwagandha contains chemicals that might help calm the brain, reduce swelling (inflammation), lower blood pressure, and alter the immune system. Ashwagandha is used for arthritis, anxiety, trouble sleeping (insomnia), tumors, tuberculosis, asthma, a skin condition marked by white patchiness (leukoderma), bronchitis, backache, fibromyalgia, menstrual problems, hiccups, and chronic liver disease.

• Ashwagandha is also used as an “adaptogen” to help the body cope with daily stress, and as a general tonic.
• Some people also use ashwagandha for improving thinking ability, decreasing pain and swelling (inflammation), and preventing the effects of aging. It is also used for fertility problems in men and women and also to increase sexual desire.
• Ashwagandha is applied to the skin for treating wounds, backache, and one-sided paralysis (hemiplegia).

Active Constituents - The root and leaf contain the highest amount of Steroidal compounds which include the lactones Withaferin A, and carbon-27-glycowithanolides, known collectively as Withanolides. It also contains a fair amount of alkaloids; tropine, pseudotropine isopelletrine, and anaferine, and saponins.

Parts Used - Eastern and Western herbal medicine use the root, most notably dried and cut. The berries are mildly toxic to the stomach and gastrointestinal tract. No major studies have released the benefits of the leaf.

Also the berries can be used as a substitute for rennet in cheese-making.

Preparations - Make a Tea decoction from the root, liquid herbal extract, dried crushed or powdered roots can be applied to food or directly consumed.

• To prepare as an “instant tea”: Pour 1 cup of boiling water over ¼ to ½ teaspoonful of powder. Drink 1-2 cups of tea daily. If desired add honey and/or lemon to suit taste.

Precautions -  Not recommended for pregnant women.

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