8/12/2019 Wikipedia Withania Somnifera

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Withania somnifera 1

Withania somnifera

Withania somnifera

Scientific classification

Kingdom: Plantae

(unranked): Angiosperms

(unranked): Eudicots

(unranked): Asterids

Order: Solanales

Family: Solanaceae

Genus: Withania

Species: W. somnifera

Binomial name

Withania somnifera

(L.) Dunal

Synonyms

Physalis somniferaL.

Withania kansuensis Kuang & A. M. Lu

Withania microphysalis Suess.

http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Carl_Linnaeushttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Synonym_%28taxonomy%29http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Dunalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Carl_Linnaeushttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Binomial_nomenclaturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Withaniahttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Solanaceaehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Solanaleshttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Asteridshttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Eudicotshttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Angiospermshttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Planthttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Biological_classificationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File%3AWithaniaFruit.jpg

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Withania somnifera 2

Fruits

Withania somnifera, known commonly as ashwagandha, Indian

ginseng, poison gooseberry, or winter cherry, is a plant in the

Solanaceae or nightshade family. Several other species in the genus

Withania are morphologically similar. It is used as an herb in

Ayurvedic medicine.

Description

This species is a short annual shrub growing 35 to 75 centimeters tall.

Tomentose branches extend radially from a central stem. The flowers

are small and green. The ripe fruit is orange-red.

Etymology

The species name somnifera means "sleep-inducing" in Latin.

Cultivation

Withania somnifera is cultivated in many of the drier regions of India, such as Mandsaur District of Madhya

Pradesh, Punjab, Sindh, Gujarat,and Rajasthan. It is also found in Nepal.

Pathology

Withania somnifera is prone to several pests and diseases. Leaf spot disease caused by Alternaria alternata is the

most prevalent disease, which is most severe in the plains of Punjab, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh.

Biodeterioration of its pharmaceutically active components during leaf spot disease has been reported. The

Choanephora cucurbitarum causes a stem and leaf rot of Withania somnifera A treehopper, feeds on the apical

portions of the stem, making them rough and woody in appearance and brown in colour. The apical leaves are shed

and the plant gradually dies. The carmine red spider mite (Tetranychus urticae) is the most prevalent pest of the

plant in India.

Culinary use

The berries can be used as a substitute for rennet in cheesemaking.

Biochemistry

The main chemical constituents are alkaloids and steroidal lactones. These include tropine and cuscohygrine. The

leaves contain the steroidal lactones, withanolides, notably withaferin A, which was the first to be isolated from the

plant.Wikipedia:Citation needed

Traditional medicinal uses

The plant's long, brown, tuberous roots are used for medicinal purposes.

In Ayurveda, the berries and leaves are applied externally to tumors, tubercular glands, carbuncles, and ulcers. The

roots are used to prepare the herbal remedy ashwagandha, which has been traditionally used to treat various

symptoms and conditions.

In two published clinical trials of W. somnifera, the side effects were not significantly different from those

experienced by placebo-treated individuals. Ashwagandha exhibits greater clinical benefit than psychotherapy in

http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Side_effecthttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Side_effecthttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ayurvedahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citation_neededhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Withaferin_Ahttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Withanolidehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cuscohygrinehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tropinehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lactonehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Steroidhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Alkaloidhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cheesemakinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rennethttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tetranychus_urticaehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Treehopperhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Choanephora_cucurbitarumhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Himachal_Pradeshhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Haryanahttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Punjab%2C_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Alternaria_alternatahttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rajasthanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gujarathttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sindhhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Punjab%2C_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Madhya_Pradeshhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Madhya_Pradeshhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mandsaur_Districthttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Latinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tomentosehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Shrubhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Annualhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ayurvedic_medicinehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Solanaceaehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File%3AWithania_somnifera_MHNT.BOT.2012.10.13.jpg

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Withania somnifera 3

mental health (anxiety level), concentration, fatigue, social functioning, vitality, and overall quality of

life.Wikipedia:Verifiability

Multiple studies have shown positive effects in reducing physiological and psychological stress as well as restoring

and increasing energy levels. More than one study had findings showing a significant improvement in both

cardiovascular and respiratory endurance.Wikipedia:Verifiability

References

External links

Media related to Withania somnifera at Wikimedia Commons

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Withania_somniferahttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Commons-logo.svghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verifiabilityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verifiability

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Article Sources and Contributors 4

Article Sources and ContributorsWithania somnifera Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=614006273 Contributors: 2over0, AVand, Ajaypradhanang, Alansohn, Alastair Haines, Allethrin, Alynna Kasmira,

Amrutaherbals, Androsyn, Anetode, Antiuser, Antonius populi, Arcadian, Asarelah, BSW-RMH, Basilargento, Betacommand, Bhadani, Bluemoose, BorgQueen, Burleigh2, Cameron Scott,

ChemNerd, Chris Capoccia, Chris the speller, Clubmarx, Colonies Chris, Cuaxdon, DanielCD, Dark Mage, Darkwind, Deanj59, Deli nk, Dg harini, Difluoroethene, Dolly nambi a.s, Dominus

Vobisdu, Dougweller, Doulos Christos, Drmies, DutchDevil, Dysmorodrepanis, EagerToddler39, Edgar181, Erc, Eumolpo, FF2010, Fennfoot, Flyer22, Gdr, Gerntrash, Granateple, Gyuen,

Hashemi1971, Haymaker, Illia Connell, Itsmejudith, Iustinus, Jamermell, Jastern949, Jpsaleeby, Kanishk vij, Krish Dulal, Ksvaughan2, LAlawMedMBA, Lakshmanan.k, MER-C,

Maliseetprincess, Mangoe, Mark Arsten, Materialscientist, MaxEnt, Mazarin07, Meodipt, Michael Bailes, Mjberggr1504, Mmcknight4, Nadiatalent, OldakQuill, Orpheus, Ottawahitech,

PhnomPencil, Phytogreen, Pksgoldenhelix, Pratyya Ghosh, Quantum Darwinism, Qui1che, Radisesh, Rettetast, Rhode Island Red, Rich Farmbrough, Richiez, Ril1949, Rkitko, Rod57, S.Didam,Santoshpandit, Shenme, SiobhanHansa, Slashme, Sminthopsis84, Soaringbearhawk, Soaringhawk21, Somayaji.S, Soobrickay, Staticd, Stemonitis, Suchetaav, Sunset10000, Sydney naturopath,

Synapticjunction, Taharka, The Thing That Should Not Be, TheJoy, TheRedPenOfDoom, Therica, Tortie tude, Travis.Thurston, Uhai, VASANTH S.N., Viking59, Vsmith, WhatamIdoing,

Wiki-uk, WikiDan61, Woohookitty, Wowbobwow12, WriterHound, Xris0, Yardang, Yid, , 278 anonymous edits

Image Sources, Licenses and ContributorsFile:WithaniaFruit.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:WithaniaFruit.jpg License: GNU Free Documentation License Contributors: Wowbobwow12

File: Withania somnifera MHNT.BOT.2012.10.13.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Withania_somnifera_MHNT.BOT.2012.10.13.jpgLicense: Creative Commons

Attribution-Sharealike 3.0 Contributors: Roger Culos

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