Ashwagandha- Indian Ginseng

Ashwagandha in Sanskrit means 'horse smell', probably due to the odour of its root, which gives out the smell of that of a sweaty horse.

Native to North Africa, India, and the Middle East, ashwagandha is a staple of the Hindu traditional medicine called Ayurveda. This herb, also known as Withania Somnifera or Indian Ginseng (though it is not related to ginseng), is known to pack a healing punch and to have significant restorative properties.

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) of the Solanaceae family While this short and stout plant has a variety of benefits, the most widely recognized benefit of ashwagandha is its ability to boost the immune system.. Its useful parts are seeds, roots and the leaves.  The plant promotes sleep, balances the nervous system and restores the strength of the horse. It also restores vitality and has an effect on the libido

The herb is bitter in taste, germicidal, aphrodisiac and diuretic. It is one of the well known valuable herbs reputed to cure cough, fever, ulcers, dropsy, impotency, insomnia, rheumatism, leukoderma and toxicosis. It is also known to increase physical endurance and improve nerve function. It is also known to regenerate the hormonal system and promote healing of tissues.

In Ayurvedic herbalism for thousands of years, Ashwagandha’s historical use as providing calming and rejuvenating effects has been backed up with numerous modern scientific studies demonstrating the positive effects of its component herbs as adaptogen used to strengthen the body to promote well-being - mental, emotional, physical, nerve and reproductive. In addition it is considered to have antioxidant properties  and stress and nervous system support

The extract obtained from the herb is used in the preparation of herbal tablets and syrups. Dried roots of the plant are used as a tonic for cold and cough, hiccup, ulcers, female disorders as well as a sedative. Reduces the negative effects of stress & anxiety. The leaves of Ashwagandha are used to treat inflammation and swellings. Clinical research supports the use of Ashwagandha for anxiety, cognitive, inflammation & Parkinson's disease.

The herb is characterized by the presence of alkaloids and with anoloids which impart its pharmacological and therapeutic properties. Ashwagandha roots are reported to contain more than 30 steroidal lactones and about 20 alkaloids. Many of the chemical constituents have been investigated for different biological activities. All experimental studies and clinical trials clearly show why Ayurveda has such a high opinion of Ashwagandha as a health booster.