Withania somnifera, known commonly as ashwagandha,[2] Indian ginseng,[3] poison

gooseberry,[3] or winter cherry,[2] is a plant in the Solanaceae or nightshade family. Several

other species in the genus Withania are morphologically similar.[4] It is used as an herb in
Ayurvedic medicine.

Contents

1 Description

2 Etymology

3 Cultivation

4 Pathology

5 Culinary use

6 Biochemistry

7 Traditional medicinal uses

8 See also

9 References

10 External links

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.[5]

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.[6] It is also found in Nepal.[7]

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.[8] The Choanephora cucurbitarum causes a stem and leaf rot of
Withania somnifera[9] 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.[10] The carmine red spider mite (Tetranychus urticae) is the most prevalent pest of the plant
in India.[11]

Culinary use
The berries can be used as a substitute for rennet in cheesemaking.[6]

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.[citation needed]

Traditional medicinal uses

This section needs more medical references for verification or relies too heavily on
primary sources. Please review the contents of the section and add the appropriate
references if you can. Unsourced or poorly sourced material may be removed. (March
2014)

The plant's long, brown, tuberous roots are used in traditional medicine.[6][7]
In Ayurveda, the berries and leaves are applied externally to tumors, tubercular glands,
carbuncles, and ulcers.[6] The roots are used to prepare the herbal remedy ashwagandha, which
has been traditionally used for various symptoms and conditions.[6][12][13][14][15][16][17]

See also