Withania somnifera is known as Ashwagandha, also commonly known in different parts of the world as Indian ginseng, Winter cherry, Ajagandhaand and Kanaje Hindi, a plant belonging to the Solanaceae family. Ashwagandha is a woody shrub or herb whose various parts (berries, leaves and roots) are used as folk remedies. Some traditional uses of ashwagandha are also invoked now a day, such as enhancing sexual function in men, increasing fertility in men or women, aiding sleep and enhancing sports performance. Withania somnifera is used as adaptogen, antiarthritic, antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory, nervine tonic, nerve soothing, sedative, hypotensive, antioxidant, immunomodulator, free radical scavenger, anti-stress and anti-cancer agent. Ashwagandha is called Rasayana, which means powerful rejuvenator in Ayurvedic jargon as it increases hemoglobin (red blood count) and hair melanin. In this study we have critically reviewed recent advancements of Withania somnifera in an attempt to authenticate its use as a multi-purpose medicinal agent.

The present review on Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is divided into four Sections. Ancient scriptures and broad claims therein form Section I. Section II comprises comparison of selected monographs. There are large numbers of review articles and treatie as well as books written on Ashwagandha, a segment of which is referred to in Section III. It is surprisingly significant that Ashwagandha is the subject matter of innovative indication and innovative delivery dosage forms and combination in the current times world over. US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and leading researchers in many countries of the world have studied Ashwagandha for its wide and advanced therapeutic indications. However, it is not surprising that research on Ashwagandha and its potential is rather poor in its country of origin, i.e. India. Aggressive NGO-led campaign using the Anti-benefit generation oriented BDA (Biological Diversity Act, 2002) coupled with excessive interpretation of non-patentability using TKDL (Traditional Knowledge Digital Library) and over-interpretation of Section 3(p) of the Indian Patents Act, 1970 has led to diminishing interest in advance research on Indian herbs including Ashwagandha, as is seen from the comparison of the patent literature between research in India and overseas countries as seen from section IV.

Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha) is a very revered herb of the Indian Ayurvedic system of medicine. It is useful for treating various kinds of disease processes and especially used as a nervine tonic. Withania somnifera (Ws) contain a wide array of active components including withaferin A, withanone and other flavonoids exhibiting strong anti-oxidant properties. Many scientific studies on Ws were carried out previously that showed its anti-oxidative effect, synergistic effect with other medicinal herbs and its efficiency to increase catecholamines level and regulation of apoptotic processes. Furthermore, treatment of Parkinsonian mice models with Ws has shown neuroprotection of dopaminergic neurons in substantia nigra pars compacta region of mid-brain. The present review enlightens the crucial role of Indian Ginseng to curb neurodegenerative disorder such as Parkinson’s disease. Extensive studies are needed to prove its therapeutic efficacy in neuronal disorders.

Withania somnifera, the plant named Indian ginseng, Ashwagandha, or winter cherry, has been used since ancient times to cure various health ailments. Withania somnifera is rich in constituents belonging to chemical classes like alkaloids, saponins, flavonoids, phenolic acids, and withanolides. Several chemotypes were identified based on their phytochemical composition and credited for their multiple bioactivities. Besides, exhibiting neuroprotective, immunomodulatory, adaptogenic, anti-stress, bone health, plant has shown promising anti-cancer properties. Several withanolides have been reported to play a crucial role in cancer; they target cancer cells by different mechanisms such as modulating the expression of tumor suppressor genes, apoptosis, telomerase expression, and regulating cell signaling pathway. Though, many treatments are available for cancer; however, to date, no assured reliable cure for cancer is made available. Additionally, synthetic drugs may lead to development of resistance in time; therefore, focus on new and natural drugs for cancer therapeutics may prove a longtime effective alternative. This current report is a comprehensive combined analysis upto 2023 with articles focused on bio-activities of plant Withania somnifera from various sources, including national and international government sources. This review focuses on understanding of various mechanisms and pathways to inhibit uncontrolled cell growth by W. somnifera bioactives, as reported in literature. This review provides a recent updated status of the W. somnifera on pharmacological properties in general and anti-cancer in particular and may provide a guiding resource for researchers associated with natural product-based cancer research and healthcare management.

In recent years, there has been a significant surge in reports on the health-promoting benefits of winter cherry (Withania somnifera), also known as Ashwagandha. Its current research covers many aspects of human health, including neuroprotective, sedative and adaptogenic effects and effects on sleep. There are also reports of anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, cardioprotective and anti-diabetic properties. Furthermore, there are reports of reproductive outcomes and tarcicidal hormone action. This growing body of research on Ashwagandha highlights its potential as a valuable natural remedy for many health concerns. This narrative review delves into the most recent findings and provides a comprehensive overview of the current understanding of ashwagandha's potential uses and any known safety concerns and contraindications.

Introduction and objective: The increasing prevalence of sleep disorders, anxiety, and stress in contemporary society necessitates effective and accessible treatments. Ashwagandha - Withania somnifera (WS), an adaptogenic herb utilized in traditional Ayurvedic medicine, has gained significant attention in recent years for its potential to improve various aspects of health and well-being. This comprehensive review of the scientific literature aims to systematize the current scientific reports regarding the impact of Ashwagandha on enhancing sleep quality, reducing levels of anxiety and stress.
 
 Material and Method: In this article, a review of publications available in the PubMed and Google Scholar databases was conducted, with an analysis of clinical and experimental studies focusing on methodology, participant demographics, dosage regimens, and tools for assessing sleep quality, anxiety, and stress levels. Articles were searched using English language terms: "ashwagandha," "Withania somnifera," "influence of sleep quality," "stress," "anxiety."
 
 Conclusions: The scientific studies presented indicate the benefits of Ashwagandha supplementation in the context of improving sleep quality, reducing anxiety states, and stress. The results of various studies, including randomized controlled trials and systematic reviews, suggest that Ashwagandha may positively influence these health aspects through its action on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis11, modulation of neurotransmitters (GABA, serotonin)1, and antioxidative activity2.

Introduction: Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is a plant found on the Indian subcontinent. The health-promoting properties attributed to it have been largely verified in numerous studies over the past 20 years. This article reviews studies on the effects of ashwagandha supplementation on sleep, its deprivation, and studies analyzing the mechanisms determining such effects. Materials and methods: A review of the literature available in the PubMed database was carried out, using the key words: "ashwagandha" ; "sleep" ; "insomnia", "withania", "somnifera", "withanolide", "withaferin". Results: Ashwagandha has a positive effect on the quality and length of sleep. It is indicated that it improves sleep parameters among both insomniacs and healthy people. In addition, it has been proven to reduce oxidative stress under conditions of sleep deprivation. Ashwagandha's positive effects on sleep have been shown to be related to its effects on GABA-nergic transmission, and the chemical responsible for the plant's sleep induction is triethylene glycol. Its regular use increases dopamine levels in the brain and could potentially be useful in treating the sleep-related disorder restless legs syndrome. Conclusions: The use of ashwagandha is a potential direction for treating sleep disorders and improving sleep quality in healthy individuals. There is a need for further development and studies on larger groups of patients to exploit its potential.

Now-a-days, the novel coronavirus pandemic has projected millions of deaths around the globe. An effective popular medicinal plant identified during this pandemic is Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal, locally called Ashwagandha or Indian Ginseng. The antiviral activity of this plant is well established in the fight against serious virus infections. This review mainly focuses on the antiviral and immuno-booster efficacy of the plant for combating various virus diseases. The bioactive principles of the plant, withanaloids, has been effectively used for human health. W. somnifera has distinct effects on the viral RBD (receptor-binding domain) and host ACE2 (angiotensin-converting enzyme 2) receptor complex. This may be useful in curing COVID-19 and other virus infection because of its tremendous immuno boosting properties.

Withania somnifera, commonly known as "Indian ginseng" or "ashwagandha", is popular as a functional food because of its diverse purported therapeutic efficacies including invigorating, improvement of cognitive ability, and stress release activities. Chemical investigation of the MeOH extract of W. somnifera roots combined with LC/MS-based analysis resulted in the identification of six new withanolides, withasilolides A-F (1-6), as well as seven known compounds (7-13). The structures of the new compounds were established by application of spectroscopic methods, including 1D and 2D NMR, HRMS, and ECD measurements. The cytotoxicity of the isolated compounds was evaluated against four human cancer cell lines (A549, SK-OV-3, SK-MEL-2, and HCT-15). Compounds 1, 2, 4, 6, and withanone (11) each showed cytotoxicity for one or more of the four cancer cell lines used.

Withania somnifera, also called 'Indian ginseng', is an important medicinal plant of the Indian subcontinent. It is widely used, singly or in combination, with other herbs against many ailments in Indian Systems of Medicine since time immemorial. Withania somnifera contains a spectrum of diverse phytochemicals enabling it to have a broad range of biological implications. In preclinical studies, it has shown anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, anti-stress, neuroprotective, cardioprotective, and anti-diabetic properties. Additionally, it has demonstrated the ability to reduce reactive oxygen species, modulate mitochondrial function, regulate apoptosis, and reduce inflammation and enhance endothelial function. In view of these pharmacologic properties, W. somnifera is a potential drug candidate to treat various clinical conditions, particularly related to the nervous system. In this review, we summarize the pharmacologic characteristics and discuss the mechanisms of action and potential therapeutic applications of the plant and its active constituents.