Ashwagandha's Evidence

Ashwagandha (also known as Indian ginseng or winter cherry) is another common herb that is used commonly as an Ayurvedic remedy. The woody plant native to India and Africa has the scientific name of Withania somnifera. Somnifera means "sleep inducing" in Latin. Ashwagandha, on the other hand, means "smell of horse" in Sanskrit, which suggests it is a rather foul-smelling herb!😒 Another explanation for the name, however, is that it imparts the strength and energy of a horse, thereby earning the unique moniker.

Ashwagandha plant with fruit

While ashwagandha is a well-known plant in India, its reputation is only now reaching western medicine, but it is fast gaining popularity as a sleep aid and anxiety reliever for alternative medicine seekers. I have seen ashwagandha bottles stocked on Costco shelves and featured in television infomercials in recent years, much to my amusement. Ashwagandha is considered a natural adaptogen, which helps the body manage stress.

Ashwagandha capsules

But as with other ancient medicine remedies, experiential evidence is not sufficient to make it popular in western society; scientific evidence is a must for people to take it seriously. And now there is that evidence coming in!

Research has proven that ashwagandha reduces levels of cortisol, a hormone produced by the adrenal glands in response to stress, by as much as 30%. Phytochemical study on ashwagandha has detected various chemical constituents such as flavonoids, withanolides, phenolic acids, alkaloids, saponins, and tannins. The withanolides exhibit anti-aging, immunomodulatory, and adaptogenic activities. Some lab studies, although limited in nature, have suggested it can also slow the growth of tumors and cancer cells; more work is underway in this area.

Sources:

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/what-is-ashwagandha/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19633611/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32783987/

https://blog.priceplow.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/withania_review.pdf

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3573577/

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