What is Ashwagandha?

More than 2,000 years of the Indian medical system known as Ayurveda have brought the use of many ancient herbs to light. Ashwagandha, a small evergreen shrub, is widely cultivated in India and the Middle East for its medicinal properties. It has also been found in parts of Africa.

An erect, grayish plant with long roots, ashwagandha has small greenish flowers and fruits that are orange-red when ripe. Traditionally, ashwagandha has been used in many ways--as a sedative, a diuretic, a rejuvenating tonic, an anti-inflammatory agent, and as an "adaptogen" (endurance enhancer).

Many Western herbalists refer to this herb as "Ayurvedic ginseng" because of its reputation for increasing energy, strength, and stamina, and for its ability to relieve stress. Ashwagandha is commonly used in its powdered form, which is made from the whole plant and the root alone. Consult your health-care provider about appropriate dosages for the different forms of the herb.

Health Benefits

It is difficult to draw firm conclusions about the significance of ashwagandha for humans, because most studies so far have been limited to test tubes or animals. Extensive research has been done over the decades, however, mostly in India, to identify the herb's chemical nature and potential benefits. These studies have shown that ashwagandha does have anti-inflammatory, anti-stress, and immune-boosting properties.

Various chemical constituents of the herb have shown a number of therapeutic effects. Because ashwagandha has traditionally been used to treat various diseases associated with nerve tissue damage related to the destructive molecules known as free radicals, some researchers speculate that the herb may have antioxidant properties.

Free-radical damage plays a role in normal aging, and in such neurological conditions as epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, and Alzheimer's disease. One reason for ashwagandha's reputation as a general energy-promoting, disease-preventing tonic may be its effect on the immune system.

Multiple studies have shown significant increases in white blood cell counts and other measures of strengthened immunity in rodents given ashwagandha or certain chemicals extracted from the herb.

Ashwagandha also has a mild sedative effect on the central nervous system, and has been shown in animal studies to be a muscle relaxant. No studies have been done to determine appropriate human uses for these effects, however, so caution is advised. As a central nervous system depressant, or tranquilizer, the herb should be used in moderation.

Specifically, taken with the advice of an experienced herbalist, ashwagandha may help to:

• Ease arthritis.

  Although the mechanism is not fully understood, ashwagandha has been quite effective in relieving the inflammation associated with rheumatologic conditions such as arthritis. One clinical trial in humans supports this use.

  Forty-two patients with osteoarthritis were randomly placed in two groups--one receiving ashwagandha, one a placebo. After three months, pain and disability were markedly reduced in the ashwagandha group.

• Reduce stress and increase endurance.

  In one of several classic stress test experiments, a group of rats was given a saline solution and then tested for swimming times. A second group, given an ashwagandha solution, was able to swim twice as long. Some of the study authors caution that this result must be interpreted carefully, however. The ashwagandha root powders used to prepare the test solution contained starch, and at the high doses given in the swim studies, it is possible that these results were due to carbohydrate supplementation.

  Overall, however, animal studies do suggest that ashwagandha may help prevent stress-induced exhaustion.

• Boost sexual performance.

  In one study, 101 normal healthy male volunteers aged 50 to 59 took 3 grams of powdered ashwagandha daily for three months. All showed significantly increased red blood cell counts, and 71% of the volunteers reported improved sexual performance. Although ashwagandha is not considered an aphrodisiac, this rejuvenating effect may be related to the improved endurance shown in animal stress tests.

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