Publications
| Title | Abstract | Year Filter | PMID(sorted descending) Filter |
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| withania somnifera chemotypes nmitli 101r, nmitli 118r, nmitli 128r and withaferin a protect mastomys coucha from brugia malayi infection. | withania somnifera is an ayurvedic indian medicinal plant whose immunomodulatory activities have been widely used as a home remedy for several ailments. we recently observed immunostimulatory properties in the root extracts of chemotypes nmitli-101, nmitli-118, nmitli-128 and pure withanolide, withaferin a. in the present study, we evaluated the potential immunoprophylactic efficacies of these extracts against an infective pathogen. our results show that administration of aqueous ethanol extract ... | 2012 | 22394222 |
| Computational evidence to inhibition of human acetyl cholinesterase by withanolide a for Alzheimer treatment. | Alzheimer's disease (AD), a neurodegenerative disorder, is the most common cause of dementia. So far only five drugs have been approved by US FDA that temporarily slow worsening of symptoms for about six to twelve months. The limited number of therapeutic options for AD drives the exploration of new drugs. Enhancement of the central cholinergic function by the inhibition of acetylcholinesterase is a prominent clinically effective approach for the treatment of AD. Recently withanolide A, a second ... | 2012 | 22208270 |
| Chemotypical variations in Withania somnifera lead to differentially modulated immune response in BALB/c mice. | Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha) is a plant with known ethnomedicinal properties and its use in Ayurvedic medicine in India is well documented. The present investigation reports on immunomodulatory efficacy of aqueous-ethanol extracts of roots of three selected Withania somnifera chemotypes designated as NMITLI 101R, NMITLI 118R and NMITLI 128R. Each chemotype was administered 10-100mg/kg orally to BALB/c mice once daily for 14 days. The immunomodulatory consequences were recorded by determining ... | 2011 | 22182427 |
| immunomodulatory effect of withania somnifera supplementation diet in the giant freshwater prawn macrobrachium rosenbergii (de man) against aeromonas hydrophila. | the effect of withania somnifera extract supplementation diets on innate immune response in giant freshwater prawn macrobrachium rosenbergii (de man) against aeromonas hydrophila was investigated. the bacterial clearance efficiency significantly increased in prawn fed with 0.1% and 1.0% doses of w. somnifera supplementation diet against pathogen from weeks 1-4 as compared to the control. the innate immune parameters such as, phenoloxidase activity, superoxide anion level, superoxide dismutase ac ... | 2012 | 22118967 |
| withania somnifera extract attenuates stem cell factor-stimulated pigmentation in human epidermal equivalents through interruption of erk phosphorylation within melanocytes. | we previously demonstrated that mitogen-activated protein kinase (mapk) signaling, including microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (mitf) and camp response element-binding protein (creb) phosphorylation, is a major pathway involved in up-regulating melanogenesis within human melanocytes in several hyperpigmentary disorders such as uvb melanosis and lentigo senilis. recently, a redox imbalance was shown to be closely linked to a variety of altered cellular responses in which the precise ... | 2011 | 22086674 |
| Inhibition of the emergence of multi drug resistant Staphylococcus aureus by Withania somnifera root extracts. | To search systematically for an alternative therapy with compounds particularly from plant origin. | 2011 | 22078956 |
| combination of withaferin a and x-ray irradiation enhances apoptosis in u937 cells. | combined treatment with radiation has improved the outcome in various cancers and many radiosensitizers are used to enhance the therapeutic efficiency of radiotherapy. withaferin a (wit a), a natural compound derived from the medicinal plant withania somnifera, has been reported for its anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor effects. in this study, we show that wit a enhances the ionizing radiation (ir)-induced apoptosis in human lymphoma u937 cells. wit a-enhanced ir-induced apoptosis is associated w ... | 2011 | 21964475 |
| In vitro cytotoxic screening of selected Saudi medicinal plants. | Many natural products from plants have been identified to exert anticancer activity. It might be expected to be a challenge to look at the Saudi plants in order to discover new sources for new molecules which may have anticancer activity. The methanolic extracts of forty species of plants traditionally used in Saudi Arabia for the treatment of a variety of diseases were tested in vitro for their potential anticancer activity on different human cancer cell lines. The cytotoxic activity of the met ... | 2011 | 21953271 |
| ameliorative effects of herbal combinations in hyperlipidemia. | the roots of glycyrrhiza glabra, withania somnifera, asparagus racemosus, and chlorophytum borivilianum and seeds of sesamum indicum are ayurvedic medicinal plants used in india to treat several ailments. our previous studies indicated that these plants possess hypolipidemic and antioxidant potential. the present study was aimed at investigating the composite effects of these plants on hypercholesterolemic rats. three different combinations (5 gm%, given for four weeks) used in this study effect ... | 2011 | 21941605 |
| Insights from the molecular docking of withanolide derivatives to the target protein PknG from Mycobacterium tuberculosis. | A crucial virulence factor for intracellular Mycobacterium tuberculosis survival is Protein kinase G (PknG), a eukaryotic-like serinethreonine protein kinase expressed by pathogenic mycobacteria that blocks the intracellular degradation of mycobacteria in lysosomes. Inhibition of PknG results in mycobacterial transfer to lysosomes. Withania somnifera, a reputed herb in ayurvedic medicine, comprises a large number of steroidal lactones known as withanolides which show various pharmacological acti ... | 2011 | 21904430 |
| comparative larvicidal potential of different plant parts of withania somnifera against vector mosquitoes in the semi-arid region of rajasthan. | larvicidal potential of the extracts from different parts viz. green and red fruits, seeds, fruit without seeds, leaves and roots of withania somnifera in different solvents was evaluated against larvae of anopheles stephensi, aedes aegypti and culex quinquefasciatus, the important disease vectors prevalent in the semi-arid region. experiments were carried out on late 3rd or early 4th instar larvae of these mosquitoes using standard who technique. 24 and 48 hr lc50 values along with their 95% co ... | 2011 | 21888235 |
| Withaferin A induces p53-dependent apoptosis by repression of HPV oncogenes and upregulation of tumor suppressor proteins in human cervical cancer cells. | Cervical cancer is caused by human papilloma virus (HPV) expressing E6 and E7 oncoproteins, which are known to inactivate tumor suppressor proteins p53 and pRb, respectively. Repression of HPV oncoproteins would therefore result in reactivation of tumor suppressor pathways and cause apoptosis in cancer cells. Withaferin A (WA), the active component of the medicinal plant Withania Somnifera, has exhibited inhibitory effects against several different cancers. We examined the activity of WA on huma ... | 2011 | 21859835 |
| high catechin concentrations detected in withania somnifera (ashwagandha) by high performance liquid chromatography analysis. | withania somnifera is an important medicinal plant traditionally used in the treatment of many diseases. the present study was carried out to characterize the phenolic acids, flavonoids and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical (dpph) scavenging activities in methanolic extracts of w. somnifera fruits, roots and leaves (wsfet, wsret and wslet). | 2011 | 21854608 |
| Withaferin A-induced apoptosis in human breast cancer cells is mediated by reactive oxygen species. | Withaferin A (WA), a promising anticancer constituent of Ayurvedic medicinal plant Withania somnifera, inhibits growth of MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 human breast cancer cells in culture and MDA-MB-231 xenografts in vivo in association with apoptosis induction, but the mechanism of cell death is not fully understood. We now demonstrate, for the first time, that WA-induced apoptosis is mediated by reactive oxygen species (ROS) production due to inhibition of mitochondrial respiration. WA treatment cause ... | 2011 | 21853114 |
| protective effect of withania somnifera and cardiospermum halicacabum extracts against collagenolytic degradation of collagen. | the irreversible destruction of extracellular matrix (ecm) such as cartilage, tendon, and bone that comprise synovial joints is the hallmark of both rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis by over-expression of matrix metalloproteinase (mmp)-collagenases. we report herein the detailed study on the inhibitory effects of withania somnifera extract (wse) and cardiospermum halicacabum extract (che) on clostridium histolyticum collagenase (chc) activity against the degradation of the ecm component of ... | 2011 | 21789568 |
| effect of pueraria tuberosa tuber extract on chronic foot shock stress in wistar rats. | the present study was undertaken to explore the protective effects of tuberous root extract of pueraria tuberosa on chronic foot shock stress (cs) induced physiological, neurobehavioral and neuropathological alterations. male wistar rats (120-150 g) were divided into seven groups, consisting of ten animals in each. group i served as normal, group ii as positive control, while group iii-vii as test drug treated. p tuberosa tuber extract (pte) was given to rats of groups iii-vi at the doses of 50, ... | 2010 | 21744765 |
| Investigation of neuropsychopharmacological effects of a polyherbal formulation on the learning and memory process in rats. | To investigate the neuropsychopharmacological effect of a polyherbal formulation (PHF) on the learning and memory processes in rats. | 2011 | 21731356 |
| Metabolic Characterization of Withania somnifera from Different Regions of India Using NMR Spectroscopy. | WITHANIA SOMNIFERA (L.) Dun. (Solanaceae), known as Indian ginseng, is one of the most popular medicinal plants in India. Considering the importance and common use of this plant, it is necessary to investigate its holistic metabolite profile. However, with existing analytical methods which are based on TLC and HPLC-UV (or MS), it is difficult to obtain information of the whole range of compounds appropriately. In this study, the metabolic characterization of WITHANIA SOMNIFERA leaves, stems, and ... | 2011 | 21728148 |
| withaferin a induces apoptosis in human melanoma cells through generation of reactive oxygen species and down-regulation of bcl-2. | a high resistance and heterogeneous response to conventional anti-cancer chemotherapies characterize malignant cutaneous melanoma, the most aggressive and deadly form of skin cancer. withaferin a (wfa), a withanolide derived from the medicinal plant withania somnifera, has been reported for its anti-tumorigenic activity against various cancer cells. for the first time, we examined the death-inducing potential of wfa against a panel of four different human melanoma cells and investigated the cell ... | 2011 | 21710254 |
| a highly stable cu/zn superoxide dismutase from withania somnifera plant: gene cloning, expression and characterization of the recombinant protein. | a gene from withania somnifera (winter cherry), encoding a highly stable chloroplastic cu/zn superoxide dismutase (sod), was cloned and expressed in escherichia coli. the recombinant enzyme (specific activity of-á~4,200 u mg(-1)) was purified and characterized. it retained-á~90 and-á~70% residual activities after 1-áh at 80 and 95-¦c, respectively. at 95-¦c, thermal inactivation rate constant (k (d)) of the enzyme was 2.46-á+ù-á10(-3) min(-1) and half-life of heat inactivation was 4.68-áh. the e ... | 2011 | 21695487 |
| in vitro anticancer activity of the root, stem and leaves of withania somnifera against various human cancer cell lines. | withania somnifera dunal know as ashwagandha belong solanaceae family. it is extensively used in most of the indian herbal pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals. the current study, evaluate in vitro cytotoxicity in 50% ethanol extract of root, stem and leaves of withania somnifera against five human cancer cell lines of four different tissues i.e. pc-3, du-145 (prostrate), hct-15 (colon), a-549 (lung) and imr-32 (neuroblastoma). root, stem and leaves extracts showed cytotoxicity activity ranging 0- ... | 2010 | 21695006 |
| an extract of withania somnifera attenuates endothelin-1-stimulated pigmentation in human epidermal equivalents through the interruption of pkc activity within melanocytes. | redox imbalances have been shown to be closely linked to a variety of altered cellular responses and profoundly affect intracellular signaling pathways, especially the pkc/mapk pathway which is a major pathway involved in regulating melanogenesis within human melanocytes. to elucidate the effects of redox balance regulation on epidermal hyperpigmentary disorders, an antioxidant-rich herb extract of withania somnifera was used to assess its effect on endothelin-1 (edn1)-stimulated pigmentation in ... | 2011 | 21678520 |
| influence of macro elements and nitrogen source on adventitious root growth and withanolide-a production in withania somnifera (l.) dunal. | withania somnifera (l.) dunal. (indian ginseng) is an important medicinal plant which yields pharmaceutically active compounds, namely withanolides. this study deals with the optimisation of the adventitious root suspension culture of w. somnifera for the production of biomass and withanolide-a. we investigated the effects of macro elements (nh(4)no(3), kno(3), cacl(2), mgso(4) and kh(2)po(4)) and nitrogen source [ [image omitted]] of murashige and skoog (ms) medium on the accumulation of biomas ... | 2011 | 21644171 |
| a comparison of the immunostimulatory effects of the medicinal herbs echinacea, ashwagandha and brahmi. | aim of the study: herbs, as food or medicine, can strengthen the body and increase its resistance to illnesses by acting on various components of the immune system. for example, echinacea is noted for its ability to enhance immune function, primarily through activation of the innate immune responses. here, we investigated the potential for two herbs commonly found in india, ashwagandha (withania somnifera) and brahmi (bacopa monnieri), to enhance immune function and compared their effects to tha ... | 2011 | 21619924 |
| behavioural and neurochemical evaluation of perment an herbal formulation in chronic unpredictable mild stress induced depressive model. | perment, a polyherbal ayurvedic formulation that contains equal parts of clitoria ternatea linn., withania somnifera dun., asparagus racemosus linn., bacopa monniera linn., is used clinically as mood elevators. the aim of the present study was to explore the behavioural effects and to understand possible mode of action of perment in stress induced depressive model. chronic unpredictable mild stress (cums) was used to induce depression in rats. open field exploratory behaviour, elevated plus maze ... | 2011 | 21614890 |
| ashwagandha leaf derived withanone protects normal human cells against the toxicity of methoxyacetic acid, a major industrial metabolite. | the present day lifestyle heavily depends on industrial chemicals in the form of agriculture, cosmetics, textiles and medical products. since the toxicity of the industrial chemicals has been a concern to human health, the need for alternative non-toxic natural products or adjuvants that serve as antidotes are in high demand. we have investigated the effects of ayurvedic herb ashwagandha (withania somnifera) leaf extract on methoxyacetic acid (maa) induced toxicity. maa is a major metabolite of ... | 2011 | 21573189 |
| withaferin a inhibits breast cancer invasion and metastasis at sub-cytotoxic doses by inducing vimentin disassembly and serine 56 phosphorylation. | withaferin a (wfa) is purified from the plant withania somnifera and inhibits the vimentin cytoskeleton. vimentin overexpression in cancer correlates with metastatic disease, induction of epithelial to mesenchymal transition and reduced patient survival. as vimentin functions in cell motility, we wanted to test the hypothesis that wfa inhibits cancer metastasis by disrupting vimentin function. these data showed that wfa had weak cytotoxic and apoptotic activity at concentrations less than or equ ... | 2011 | 21538350 |
| rectal gel application of withania somnifera root extract expounds anti-inflammatory and muco-restorative activity in tnbs-induced inflammatory bowel disease. | abstract: | 2011 | 21527003 |
| recent studies on aphrodisiac herbs for the management of male sexual dysfunction--a review. | an aphrodisiac is a type of food or drink that has the effect of making those who eat or drink it more aroused in a sexual way. aphrodisiacs can be categorized according to their mode of action into three groups: substances that increase libido (i.e., sexual desire, arousal), substances that increase sexual potency (i.e., effectiveness of erection) and substances that increase sexual pleasure. some well-known aphrodisiacs are tribulus terrestrins, withania somnifera, eurycoma longifolia, avena s ... | 2011 | 21485695 |
| prevention of cadmium bioaccumulation by herbal adaptogens. | to evaluate the effect of various herbal adaptogens such as shade-dried powders of withania somnifera, ocimum sanctum, asperagus recemosus, andrographis paniculata, asphaltum panjabinum (shilajith), gymnema sylvestre, spirulina platensis, and panex ginseng on cadmium (cd)-induced oxidative stress and its accumulation in broiler chicken. | 2011 | 21455421 |
| withaferin a suppresses estrogen receptor-a expression in human breast cancer cells. | we have shown previously that withaferin a (wa), a promising anticancer constituent of ayurvedic medicine plant withania somnifera, inhibits growth of mcf-7 and mda-mb-231 human breast cancer cells in culture and mda-mb-231 xenografts in vivo by causing apoptosis. however, the mechanism of wa-induced apoptosis is not fully understood. the present study was designed to systematically determine the role of tumor suppressor p53 and estrogen receptor-a (er-a) in proapoptotic response to wa using mcf ... | 2011 | 21432907 |
| effect of withania somnifera on sleep-wake cycle in sleep-disturbed rats: possible gabaergic mechanism. | sleep deprivation disrupts significantly sleep pattern and cause poor quality of sleep. the aim the present study was to explore role of withania somniferra root extract in sleep-disturbed rats. male wistar rats (n=5-6/group) were sleep deprived for 24 h using grid suspended over water method. withania somniferra extract (100 mg/kg) was administered intraperitoneally (i.p.) 30 min before actual recording (eeg and emg) recording and electrophysiological recordings are further classified as- sleep ... | 2008 | 21369449 |
| endoplasmic reticulum stress mediates withaferin a-induced apoptosis in human renal carcinoma cells. | the accumulation of misfolded proteins in the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum (er) results in cellular stress that initiates a specialized response designated as the unfolded protein response. er stress has been implicated in a variety of common diseases, such as diabetes, ischemia and neurodegenerative disorders. withaferin a, a major chemical constituent of withania somnifera, has been reported to inhibit tumor cell growth. we show that withaferin a induced a dose-dependent apoptotic cell d ... | 2011 | 21266191 |
| withaferin a enhances radiation-induced apoptosis in caki cells through induction of reactive oxygen species, bcl-2 downregulation and akt inhibition. | withaferin a (wit a), a natural compound derived from the medicinal plant withania somnifera, has been reported for the anti-tumor effects, including the inhibition of tumor cell growth, metastasis and angiogenesis. in this study, we investigated the effect of wit a on radiation-induced apoptosis in human renal cancer cells (caki cells). our results showed that, compared with wit a or radiation alone, the combination of both resulted in a significant enhancement of apoptosis, showing the increas ... | 2011 | 21256832 |
| detection of toxic heavy metals and pesticide residue in herbal plants which are commonly used in the herbal formulations. | herbal formulations are getting popular throughout the world and commercialized extensively for various medicinal properties. who has emphasized the need for quality assurance of herbal products, including testing of heavy metals and pesticides residues. in view of who guidelines, single herbal drugs used in herbal formulations were collected from local market, for testing heavy metals and persistent pesticides residue. therefore, in the present case, we have examined few local samples of certai ... | 2011 | 21210215 |
| in vivo anti-tussive activity and structural features of a polysaccharide fraction from water extracted withania somnifera. | anti-tussive drugs are amongst the most widely used medications worldwide; however no new class of drugs has been introduced into the market for many years. the present study aims at evaluating the structural features and in vivo anti-tussive activity of a polysaccharide fraction from water extracted withania somnifera. | 2010 | 21182915 |
| reversal of cadmium-induced oxidative stress in chicken by herbal adaptogens withania somnifera and ocimum sanctum. | the present study was carried out to evaluate the herbal adaptogens withania somnifera and ocimum sanctum on cadmium-induced oxidative toxicity in broiler chicken. cadmium administration at the rate of 100 ppm orally along with feed up to 28 days produced peroxidative damage, as indicated by increase in tbars, reduction in glutathione (gsh) concentration in liver and kidney, and increase in catalase (cat) and superoxide dismutase (sod) of erythrocytes. herbal adaptogens withania somnifera roots ... | 2010 | 21170246 |
| alzheimer's disease: the pros and cons of pharmaceutical, nutritional, botanical, and stimulatory therapies, with a discussion of treatment strategies from the perspective of patients and practitioners. | alzheimer's disease (ad) is characterized by dysfunctional intracellular and extracellular biochemical processes that result in neuron death. this article summarizes hypotheses regarding cell dysfunction in ad and discusses the effectiveness of, and problems with, different therapies. pharmaceutical therapies discussed include cholinesterase inhibitors, memantine, antihypertensive drugs, anti-inflammatory drugs, secretase inhibitors, insulin resistance drugs, etanercept, brain-derived neurotroph ... | 2010 | 21155625 |
| chlorinated and diepoxy withanolides from withania somnifera and their cytotoxic effects against human lung cancer cell line. | phytochemical studies on the aerial parts of withania somnifera l. dunal. (solanaceae) led to the isolation of a chlorinated steroidal lactone (27-acetoxy-4β,6α-dihydroxy-5β-chloro-1-oxowitha-2,24-dienolide), a diepoxy withanolide (5β,6β,14α,15α-diepoxy-4β,27-dihydroxy-1-oxowitha-2,24-dienolide), and withaferin a. their structures were elucidated by using spectroscopic techniques. all three compounds exhibited a growth inhibition and cytotoxic activity against human lung cancer cell line (nci-h4 ... | 2010 | 21044792 |
| evaluation of the anxiolytic activity of nr-anx-c (a polyherbal formulation) in ethanol withdrawal-induced anxiety behavior in rats. | the present study investigates the anxiolytic activity of nr-anx-c, a standardized polyherbal formulation containing the extracts of withania somnifera, ocimum sanctum, camellia sinensis, triphala, and shilajit in ethanol withdrawal- (ew-) induced anxiety behavior in rats. ethanol dependence in rats was produced by substitution of drinking water with 7.5% v/v alcohol for 10 days. then, ethanol withdrawal was induced by replacing alcohol with drinking water, 12 hours prior to experimentation. aft ... | 2010 | 20953426 |
| immunomodulatory effects of withania somnifera on azoxymethane induced experimental colon cancer in mice. | the efficacy of withania somnifera on immunomodulation was tested in experimental azoxymethane induced colon cancer in mice. azoxymethane is a potential carcinogen to induce the colon cancer in swiss albino mice. azoxymethane 15 mg/kg body weight was injected intraperitoneally once a week for 28 days. the colon cancer was confirmed by the appearance of aberrant crypt foci (acf) in the colons of the experimental mice. the progression in colon tumor development was correlated with the appearance o ... | 2010 | 20840055 |
| withanolide d induces apoptosis in leukemia by targeting the activation of neutral sphingomyelinase-ceramide cascade mediated by synergistic activation of c-jun n-terminal kinase and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase. | abstract: | 2010 | 20836852 |
| dietary medicinal plant extracts improve growth, immune activity and survival of tilapia oreochromis mossambicus. | the effects of supplementing diets with acetone extract (1% w/w) from four medicinal plants (bermuda grass cynodon dactylon, h(1), beal aegle marmelos, h(2), winter cherry withania somnifera, h(3) and ginger zingiber officinale, h(4)) on growth, the non-specific immune response and ability to resist pathogen infection in tilapia oreochromis mossambicus were assessed. in addition, the antimicrobial properties of the extract were assessed against vibrio alginolyticus, vibrioparahaemolyticus, vibri ... | 2009 | 20735646 |
| withaferin a inhibits activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 in human breast cancer cells. | we have shown previously that withaferin a (wa), a promising anticancer constituent of ayurvedic medicine plant withania somnifera, inhibits growth of human breast cancer cells in culture and in vivo in association with apoptosis induction. the present study builds on these observations and demonstrates that wa inhibits constitutive as well as interleukin-6 (il-6)-inducible activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (stat3), which is an oncogenic transcription factor activa ... | 2010 | 20724373 |
| evaluation of the anti-ulcer activity of nr-anx-c (a polyherbal formulation) in aspirin & pyloric ligature induced gastric ulcers in albino rats. | the aetiology of gastric ulcers is not completely understood and continuous use of anti-ulcer agents leads to many side effects. in this study we evaluated the anti-ulcer efficacy of a polyherbal formulation with potent antioxidant activity in aspirin and pyloric ligature induced gastric ulcers in rats. | 2010 | 20716823 |
| enhancement of the response of b16f1 melanoma to fractionated radiotherapy and prolongation of survival by withaferin a and/or hyperthermia. | withaferin a (wa), isolated from indian medicinal plant withania somnifera has weak antitumor and radiosensitizing property. the present investigation was planned to evaluate the tumor sensitizing effect of wa with or without local hyperthermia on the response of b16f1 melanoma to fractionated and acute radiotherapy. c57bl mice bearing tumors of 100 ± 10 mm³ were treated with fractionated radiotherapy (rt, 2 gy x 5 days/week, 4 weeks), withaferin a (15 mg/kg, i.p., 5 days/ week, 3 weeks), local ... | 2010 | 20713375 |
| in vitro protective effects of withania somnifera (l.) dunal root extract against hydrogen peroxide and β-amyloid(1-42)-induced cytotoxicity in differentiated pc12 cells. | withania somnifera l. dunal (solanaceae), also known as 'ashwagandha' in sanskrit and as 'indian ginseng', is used widely in ayurvedic medicine as a nerve tonic and memory enhancer, with antiaging, antistress, immunomodulatory and antioxidant properties. there is a paucity of data on the potential neuroprotective effects of w. somnifera root, as traditionally used, against h(2)o(2)- and aβ((1-42))-induced cytotoxicity which are current targets for novel approaches to treat dementia, especially d ... | 2010 | 20680931 |
| protection of swimming-induced oxidative stress in some vital organs by the treatment of composite extract of withania somnifera, ocimum sanctum and zingiber officinalis in male rat. | composite methanolic extract of roots of withania somnifera, leaves of ocimum sanctum, and rhizomes of zingiber officinalis was administered by gavage at the dose of 40 mg 100 g(-1) body weight day(-1) to rat orally for 15 days prior to experimentation followed by co-administration of above extract at the same dose for 28 days of swimming to find out the remedial effect of this extract on exhaustive physical exercise-induced oxidative damage. swimming resulted significant diminution (p<0.05) in ... | 2009 | 20606774 |
| effect of withania somnifera (l. dunal) root as a feed additive on immunological parameters and disease resistance to aeromonas hydrophila in labeo rohita (hamilton) fingerlings. | the present study evaluated the efficacy of dietary doses of withania somnifera (ashwagandha) root powder on immunological parameters and disease resistance against the bacterial pathogen aeromonas hydrophila infections in indian major carp, labeo rohita fingerlings. fishes were fed with dry diet containing 0 gkg(-1) (control), 1 gkg(-1) (t(1)), 2 gkg(-1) (t(2)) and 3 gkg(-1) (t(3)) w. somnifera root powder for 42 days. immunological (nbt level, phagocytic activity, total immunoglobulin and lyso ... | 2010 | 20580830 |
| scientific basis for the use of indian ayurvedic medicinal plants in the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders: ashwagandha. | ayurveda is a sanskrit word, which means "the scripture for longevity". it represents an ancient system of traditional medicine prevalent in india and in several other south asian countries. it is based on a holistic view of treatment which is believed to cure human diseases through establishment of equilibrium in the different elements of human life, the body, the mind, the intellect and the soul [1]. ayurveda dates back to the period of the indus valley civilization (about 3000 b.c) and has be ... | 2010 | 20528765 |
| propoxur-induced acetylcholine esterase inhibition and impairment of cognitive function: attenuation by withania somnifera. | propoxur (2-isopropoxyphenyl n-methylcarbamate) is widely used as an acaricide in agriculture and public health programs. studies have shown that sub-chronic exposure to propoxur can cause oxidative stress and immuno-suppression in rats. carbamates are also known to exhibit inhibitory effect on cholinesterase activity, which is directly related to their cholinergic effects. in the present study, the effect of withania somnifera (ashwagandha), a widely used herbal drug possessing anti-stress and ... | 2010 | 20521626 |
| protective effect of withania somnifera root powder on lipid peroxidation and antioxidant status in gentamicin-induced nephrotoxic rats. | we investigated the protective effect of withania somnifera root powder (used in ayurvedic medicine in india) on gentamicin (gen) induced nephrotoxicity in male wistar rats. the root powder was administered orally to rats for 14 days before gen treatment and thereafter with gen for 8 days. nephrotoxicity was manifested in gen-treated rats as significant increases in urea, creatinine, uric acid, non protein nitrogen, urinary protein, n-acetyl-beta-d-glucosaminidase, thiobarbituric acid reactive s ... | 2010 | 20506689 |
| comparing the cytotoxic potential of withania somnifera water and methanol extracts. | the plant withania somnifera (linn.) (solanacea) is a well-known herbal medicine used in many parts of the world. it has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antitumor as well as neural protective properties. it seems as if the two most active withanolide components, namely withaferin a and withanolide d, found in methanol (meoh) extracts, are responsible for the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of the plant. the current research evaluated and compared the cytotoxic potential of water ... | 2009 | 20448853 |
| heavy metal bioaccumulation in selected medicinal plants collected from khetri copper mines and comparison with those collected from fertile soil in haridwar, india. | heavy metal distribution in medicinal plants is gaining importance not only as an alternative medicine, but also for possible concern due to effects of metal toxicity. the present study has been focused on emphasizing the heavy metal status and bioaccumulation factors of v, mn, fe, co, cu, zn, se (essential metals) and cr, ni, cd, as and pb (potentially toxic metals) in medicinal plants grown under two different environmental conditions e.g., near to khetri copper mine and those in fertile soils ... | 2010 | 20390948 |
| antioxidant effect of dietary supplement withania somnifera l. reduce blood glucose levels in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. | the phenolic compounds and flavonoids were determined from the extracts of withania somnifera root (wsret) and leaf (wslet). the wsret has 28.26 mg/g total phenolic compounds and 17.32 mg/g flavonoids, whereas wslet has 5.4 mg/g total phenolic compounds and 5.1 mg/g flavonoids. the wsret, wslet and glibenclamide were orally administered daily to diabetic rats for 8 weeks. after the treatment, the levels of urine sugar, blood glucose, liver glycogen, and antioxidants like vitamin c and e in plasm ... | 2010 | 20186490 |
| modulating effect of withania somnifera on tca cycle enzymes and electron transport chain in azoxymethane-induced colon cancer in mice. | the aim of the present investigation was to evaluate the efficacy of withania somnifera on tricarboxylic acid (tca) cycle enzymes and electron transport chain in azoxymethane-induced experimental colon cancer in mice. azoxymethane at the dose of 15 mg/kg body weight was induced intraperitoneally once in a week for 28 days. the progression in colon tumor development was correlated with the appearance of the histological biomarker and aberrant crypt foci (acf). azoxymethane-induced colon cancer an ... | 2010 | 20136350 |
| effect of extract of withania somnifera on dehydration-induced oxidative stress-related uremia in male rats. | dehydration or water deprivation in the body decreases urinary excretion and allows urea and other protein waste products to accumulate in the blood. the aim of the present study is to evaluate the association of uremia and oxidative stress by applying the herbal plant withania somnifera (w. somnifera) (aswagandha). the study was performed on male wister strain rats in which, dehydration was achieved by water withdrawal. a total of 18 rats were studied and were randomly divided into three groups ... | 2010 | 20061697 |
| notch-1 inhibition by withaferin-a: a therapeutic target against colon carcinogenesis. | notch signaling plays a crucial role in the development of colon cancer; targeting the notch pathway may sensitize colon cancers to various adjuvant agents. the focus of our current study is to identify natural compounds that target notch signaling and that might be beneficial for the prevention and treatment of colon cancer. withaferin-a (wa) is a bioactive compound derived from withania somnifera, which inhibits notch-1 signaling and downregulates prosurvival pathways, such as akt/nf-kappab/bc ... | 2010 | 20053782 |
| the methanolic extract of withania somnifera acts on gabaa receptors in gonadotropin releasing hormone (gnrh) neurons in mice. | the effect of the methanol extract of withania somnifera (mws) on the gonadotropin releasing hormone (gnrh) neuron was examined in juvenile mice using the whole cell patch clamp technique. gnrh neurons are the fundamental regulators of the pulsatile release of gnrh needed for puberty and fertility. gnrh neurons were depolarized by bath application of the mws (400 ng/microl) under the condition of a high cl(-) pipette solution in current clamp mode. in voltage clamp mode, mws induced reproducible ... | 2010 | 20044800 |
| safety assessment of a novel niacin-bound chromium-based energy formulation. | over 35 million adults suffer from fatigue or lack of energy. in this study, we assessed the safety of a novel niacin-bound chromium-based energy formulation, which also contained caffeine, d-ribose, withania somnifera extract, and selected amino acids. niacin-bound chromium is a novel source of bioavailable chromium (iii), and known to promote healthy lipid profile. male and female sprague-dawley rats were fed 125 ppm energy formulation for 90 consecutive days. body weight, feed, and water inta ... | 2006 | 20021019 |
| agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation of withania somnifera (l.) dunal: an important medicinal plant. | this report describes agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation of withania somnifera--an important indian medicinal plant. a. tumefaciens strain lba4404, containing the binary vector pig121hm was used for transformation, along with the gusa reporter gene with intron under the transcriptional control of the cauliflower mosaic virus (camv) 35s promoter. the leaf segments from two-and-a-half-month-old green house-grown seedlings were more efficient in transformation, as compared to those f ... | 2010 | 20012541 |
| withanamides in withania somnifera fruit protect pc-12 cells from beta-amyloid responsible for alzheimer's disease. | alzheimer's disease (ad) is an irreversible neurodegenerative disorder with symptoms of confusion, memory loss, and mood swings. the beta-amyloid peptide, with 39-42 amino acid residues (bap), plays a significant role in the development of ad. although there is no cure for ad, it can be managed with available drugs to some degree. several studies have revealed that natural antioxidants, such as vitamin e, vitamin c and beta-carotene, may help in scavenging free radicals generated during the init ... | 2010 | 19957250 |
| nephroprotective effect of withania somnifera: a dose-dependent study. | in the present study, we investigated the protective effect of withania somnifera, an indigenous medicinal herb used in ayurvedic traditional systems for more than 3000 years in india, on gentamicin (gen)-induced nephrotoxicity. the root extract of three different doses of w. somnifera (viz., 250, 500, and 750 mg/kg) was administered orally to rats for 14 days before gen treatment and thereafter concurrently with gen (100 mg/kg) for 8 days. nephrotoxicity was evident in gen-treated rats by signi ... | 2009 | 19925290 |
| withaferin a targets heat shock protein 90 in pancreatic cancer cells. | the purpose of this study is to investigate the efficacy and the mechanism of hsp90 inhibition of withaferin a (wa), a steroidal lactone occurring in withania somnifera, in pancreatic cancer in vitro and in vivo. withaferin a exhibited potent antiproliferative activity against pancreatic cancer cells in vitro (with ic(50)s of 1.24, 2.93 and 2.78 microm) in pancreatic cancer cell lines panc-1, miapaca2 and bxpc3, respectively. annexin v staining showed that wa induced significant apoptosis in pan ... | 2010 | 19769945 |
| withania somnifera root extract improves catecholamines and physiological abnormalities seen in a parkinson's disease model mouse. | withania somnifera root extract (ws)/ashwagandha/indian ginseng is a traditional herbal medicine, used over 4000 years in india, shown to have effect on neural growth and locomotor function. although catecholamines and oxidative stress resulting in neurodegeneration and locomotor disorder are the main events in parkinson's disease (pd), efficacy of the drug on these molecules and physiological abnormality are not clear. | 2009 | 19666100 |
| molecular insight into the immune up-regulatory properties of the leaf extract of ashwagandha and identification of th1 immunostimulatory chemical entity. | withania somnifera, commonly called ashwagandha in the indian traditional system of medicine has been reported for several pharmacological activities. this study demonstrates, for the first time, the potential role of the chemically standardized leaf extract of w. somnifera (wsl) and it's identified component in activating immune system. wsl enhanced th1 cytokine ifn-gamma expression in con a primed splenocytes in vitro. when given orally for 2 weeks to balb/c mice immunized with emulsion of ova ... | 2009 | 19628058 |
| possible neuroprotective effect of withania somnifera root extract against 3-nitropropionic acid-induced behavioral, biochemical, and mitochondrial dysfunction in an animal model of huntington's disease. | huntington's disease (hd) is a neurodegenerative disorder that results from the destruction of neurons in the basal ganglia, and oxidative stress has been implicated in its pathogenesis. 3-nitropropionic acid (3-np), a potent neurotoxin, has been reported to induce oxidative/nitrosative stress and causes neurobehavioral and biochemical changes that mimic hd in humans. it also inhibits complex ii of the mitochondrial electron transport chain, thereby causing cellular energy deficit. in the presen ... | 2009 | 19627208 |
| sominone enhances neurite outgrowth and spatial memory mediated by the neurotrophic factor receptor, ret. | orally administered withanoside iv (a compound isolated from the roots of withania somnifera) improved memory deficits in mice with a model of alzheimer's disease induced by the amyloid peptide abeta(25-35). sominone, an aglycone of withanoside iv, was identified as an active metabolite after oral administration of withanoside iv. we aimed to identify receptors or associated molecules of sominone, and to investigate the effects of sominone on memory in normal mice. | 2009 | 19594760 |
| evaluation of anti-leishmanial activity of selected indian plants known to have antimicrobial properties. | the severe toxicity, exorbitant cost and the emerging resistance of leishmania spp. against most of the currently used drugs led to the urgent need for exploiting our traditional ayurvedic knowledge to treat visceral leishmaniasis. the aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro anti-leishmanial activity of various extracts from ten traditionally used indian medicinal plants. the methanolic extract from only two plants, withania somnifera dunal (ashwagandha) and allium sativum linn. (garlic), ... | 2009 | 19593584 |
| hypoglycaemic and hypolipidaemic effects of withania somnifera root and leaf extracts on alloxan-induced diabetic rats. | withania somnifera is an important medicinal plant, which is used in traditional medicine to cure many diseases. flavonoids were determined in the extracts of w. somnifera root (wsret) and leaf (wslet). the amounts of total flavonoids found in wsret and wslet were 530 and 520 mg/100 g dry weight (dw), respectively. hypoglycaemic and hypolipidaemic effects of wsret and wslet were also investigated in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. wsret and wslet and the standard drug glibenclamide were orally ad ... | 2009 | 19564954 |
| metabolic clustering of a core collection of indian ginseng withania somnifera dunal through dna, isoenzyme, polypeptide and withanolide profile diversity. | withania somnifera is one of the most important medicinal plants of ayurveda and finds extensive uses in indian traditional herbal preparations. in this investigation, selected accessions of the plant were examined for diversity through rapds, isoenzymes, polypeptide polymorphism and withanolide profiles. the accessions clustered together with respect to their characteristic profile of major withanolides and represented withaferin a, withanone, withanolide d or withanolide a rich groups. this le ... | 2009 | 19559768 |
| withania somnifera prevents morphine withdrawal-induced decrease in spine density in nucleus accumbens shell of rats: a confocal laser scanning microscopy study. | opiate withdrawal is associated with morphological changes of dopamine neurons in the ventral tegmental area and with reduction of spine density of second-order dendrites of medium size spiny neurons in the nucleus accumbens shell but not core. withania somnifera has long been used in the middle east, africa, and india as a remedy for different conditions and diseases and a growing body of evidence points to its beneficial effects on a number of experimental models of neurological disorders. rec ... | 2009 | 19551457 |
| restoration of stress-induced altered t cell function and corresponding cytokines patterns by withanolide a. | this study was taken up to see the effect of withanolide a (ws-1), a compound isolated from withania somnifera root extract on chronic stress-induced alterations on t lymphocyte subset distribution and corresponding cytokine secretion patterns in experimental swiss albino mice. stress disturbs the homeostatic state of the organism and brings about behavioral, endocrine and immunological changes. the chronic suppression induced by stress depresses the immune functioning and increases susceptibili ... | 2009 | 19524704 |
| antileishmanial activity in israeli plants. | leishmaniasis is a vector-borne disease caused by flagellated protozoan parasites of the genus leishmania, which affects both humans and other mammals. most of the available drugs against the disease are toxic and parasite resistance to some of the drugs has already developed. in the present study, the leishmanicidal activities of methanolic extracts of some israeli plants have been evaluated in vitro, against the free-living promastigotes and intracellular amastigotes of leishmania major. of th ... | 2009 | 19508747 |
| in vivo enhancement of natural killer cell activity through tea fortified with ayurvedic herbs. | the effect of a tea fortified with five herbs selected from indian traditional medicine (ayurveda) for their putative immunoenhancing effect (withania somnifera, glycyrrhzia glabra, zingiber officinale, ocimum sanctum and elettaria cardamomum) on innate immunity was investigated. ex vivo natural killer (nk) cell activity was assessed after consumption of fortified tea compared with regular tea in two independent double-blind intervention studies. both studies were conducted in india with healthy ... | 2010 | 19504465 |
| glycowithanolides accumulation in in vitro shoot cultures of indian ginseng (withania somnifera dunal). | phytochemical investigations of multiple shoot cultures of selected accessions agb002 and agb025 of withania somnifera established in vitro utilizing shoot tip apices cultured on murashige and skoog's medium supplemented with bap (1 mg/l) have been carried out. this has lead to isolation of four glycowithanolides viz. withanoside iv (wsg-3), withanoside vi (wsg-3a), physagulin d (wsg-p) and withastraronolide (wsc-o). the structures of these have been confirmed on the basis of spectroscopic data. ... | 2009 | 19475989 |
| neuroprotective effects of withania somnifera dunal.: a possible mechanism. | present study was carried out to understand the possible mechanism of neuroprotective action of the root extract of withania somnifera dunal (ws). the study is focused on ws mediated inhibition of nitric oxide production, which is known to mediate neurodegeneration during stress. adult mice (28 +/- 5 g) were exposed to restraint stress for 30 days. activity of nadph diaphorase (nadph-d) and factors (acetylcholine, serotonin and corticosterone), which regulates nadph-d activity were studied. trea ... | 2009 | 19444606 |
| inhibition of nfkappab by the natural product withaferin a in cellular models of cystic fibrosis inflammation. | abstract: cystic fibrosis (cf) is one of the most common autosomal genetic disorders in humans. this disease is caused by mutations within a single gene, coding for the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (cftr) protein. the phenotypic hallmark of cf is chronic lung infection and associated inflammation from opportunistic microbes such as pseudomonas aeruginosa (pa), haemophilus influenzae, and staphylococcus aureus. this eventually leads to deterioration of lung function and dea ... | 2009 | 19439083 |
| ethnopharmacological survey of wild medicinal plants in showbak, jordan. | two main research questions are framing this investigation: (1) the main taxa of the medicinal importance value altered the showbak forest stand and species composition? (2) the most safe species and what are the toxic ones (unsafe). these two research questions are the vital ones to draw a clear image about the wild medicinal plants of this investigated area of showbak region in jordan. 79 wild medicinal plant species were investigated in this study which are used in traditional medication for ... | 2009 | 19429338 |
| ashwagandha leaf extract: a potential agent in treating oxidative damage and physiological abnormalities seen in a mouse model of parkinson's disease. | parkinson's disease (pd) is a neurodegenerative disorder that leads to impairment of balance and coordination. therapy for the disease is still under investigation. withania somnifera (a-extract), a herbal medicine, has been known for a spectrum of health-promoting effects including activation of immune, muscle and neuronal systems. therefore effect of a-extract in the mouse model of pd was examined. the midbrain and corpus striatum of pd mouse showed increased levels of superoxide dismutase, ca ... | 2009 | 19429045 |
| caffeine withdrawal retains anticataleptic activity but withania somnifera withdrawal potentiates haloperidol-induced catalepsy in mice. | the previous study showed that chronic treatment with withania somnifera extract (ws) inhibited haloperidol-induced catalepsy. it is suggested that caffeine and ws may be useful adjuvants in pharmacotherapy of parkinson's disease. there are no studies on the effect of haloperidol on mice withdrawn from caffeine or w. somnifera. we therefore studied the effect of a single administration of standardised ws containing 5.1% total withanolides (ws, 30 or 100 mg kg(-1) i.p.) and/or caffeine (3 mg kg(- ... | 2009 | 19418355 |
| in vivo effects of ashwagandha (withania somnifera) extract on the activation of lymphocytes. | this study investigated the immunologic effects of ashwagandha (withania somnifera) on four types of immune cells in a human sample to determine the immunologic mechanism. | 2009 | 19388865 |
| immune modulation and apoptosis induction: two sides of antitumoural activity of a standardised herbal formulation of withania somnifera. | deregulated apoptosis and suppressed tumour reactive immunity render tumour cells to grow amok in the host body. traditionally used botanicals may offer potential anticancer chemo-immunotherapeutic leads. we report in this study a chemically standardised herbal formulation (wsf) of withania somnifera possessing anticancer and th1 immune up-regulatory activities. wsf produced cytotoxicity in a panel of human cancer cell lines in vitro. the molecular mechanism of cell cytotoxicity, ic(50) 48h appr ... | 2009 | 19269163 |
| ultrastructure of platelets and fibrin networks of asthmatic mice exposed to selenium and withania somnifera. | platelets and fibrin play an important role in allergic processes, including allergic asthma. the asthmatic balb/c mouse model was used to induce asthma, and asthmatic mice were treated with the anti-inflammatory plant withania somnifera, separately and in combination with the antioxidant selenium. selenium is an important supplement in asthma, because asthmatics may have a selenium deficiency. hydrocortisone was used as positive control. results indicate control mice possess major thick fibers, ... | 2009 | 19214657 |
| effect of withaferin a on the development and decay of thermotolerance in b16f1 melanoma: a preliminary study. | protein synthesis inhibitors can suppress the development of thermotolerance in tumor tissues during [corrected] repeated heating. withaferin a (wa), isolated from withania somnifera has cytotoxic and inhibitory action on protein synthesis. in the present investigation, effect of wa on development and decay of thermotolerance in b16f1 melanoma was studied in c57bl mice. tumors of 100 +/- 10 [corrected] mm(3) size were subjected to repeated hyperthermia (ht) at 43 degrees c for 30 minutes. wa was ... | 2009 | 19190033 |
| amelioration of metformin-induced hypothyroidism by withania somnifera and bauhinia purpurea extracts in type 2 diabetic mice. | an investigation was carried out to reveal the possible ameliorative role of two plant extracts on an antidiabetic drug-induced hypothyroidism in type 2 diabetic animals. dexamethasone (1.0 mg/kg, i.m.) administration caused hyperglycemia with a parallel increase in renal lipid peroxidation (lpo), relative risk ratio (rr), and the concentrations of serum insulin; total cholesterol (tc); low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (ldl-c); very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (vldl-c) and triglycerid ... | 2009 | 19170137 |
| withanolide sulfoxide from aswagandha roots inhibits nuclear transcription factor-kappa-b, cyclooxygenase and tumor cell proliferation. | investigation of the methanol extract of aswagandha (withania somnifera) roots for bioactive constituents yielded a novel withanolide sulfoxide compound (1) along with a known withanolide dimer ashwagandhanolide (2) with an s-linkage. the structure of compound 1 was established by extensive nmr and ms experiments. compound 1 was highly selective in inhibiting cyclooxygenase-2 (cox-2) enzyme by 60% at 100 microm with no activity against cox-1 enzyme. the ic(50) values of compound 1 against human ... | 2009 | 19152372 |
| traditional medicine in the treatment of drug addiction. | to evaluate clinical trials and neurochemical mechanisms of the action of traditional herbal remedies and acupuncture for treating drug addiction. | 2009 | 19152199 |
| ayurvedic medicine constituent withaferin a causes g2 and m phase cell cycle arrest in human breast cancer cells. | withaferin a (wa) is derived from the medicinal plant withania somnifera that has been safely used for centuries in the indian ayurvedic medicine for treatment of various ailments. we now demonstrate that wa treatment causes g2 and mitotic arrest in human breast cancer cells. treatment of mda-mb-231 (estrogen-independent) and mcf-7 (estrogen-responsive) cell lines with wa resulted in a concentration- and time-dependent increase in g2-m fraction, which correlated with a decrease in levels of cycl ... | 2008 | 19003581 |
| induction of apoptosis by withaferin a in human leukemia u937 cells through down-regulation of akt phosphorylation. | withaferin a, a major chemical constituent of withania somnifera, has been reported for its tumor cell growth inhibitory activity, antitumor effects, and impairing metastasis and angiogenesis. the mechanism by which withaferin a initiates apoptosis remains poorly understood. in the present report, we investigated the effect of withaferin a on the apoptotic pathway in u937 human promonocytic cells. we show that withaferin a induces apoptosis in association with the activation of caspase-3. jnk an ... | 2008 | 19002588 |
| withanolide z, a new chlorinated withanolide from withania somnifera. | reverse-phase preparative hplc analysis of the n-butanol fraction of the methanolic extract of withania somnifera dunal (leaves) afforded a novel chlorinated withanolide, namely withanolide z (1), along with four known withanolides, withanolide b (2), withanolide a (3), 27-hydroxywithanolide b (4) and withaferin a (5). their structures were elucidated by ir, ms, cd and a combination of 1 d and 2 d nmr spectral analyses. the leishmania donovani dna topoisomerase i inhibitory activities of the iso ... | 2008 | 18988152 |
| withaferin a induces apoptosis by activating p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling cascade in leukemic cells of lymphoid and myeloid origin through mitochondrial death cascade. | withaferin a (wa) is present abundantly in withania somnifera, a well-known indian medicinal plant. here we demonstrate how wa exhibits a strong growth-inhibitory effect on several human leukemic cell lines and on primary cells from patients with lymphoblastic and myeloid leukemia in a dose-dependent manner, showing no toxicity on normal human lymphocytes and primitive hematopoietic progenitor cells. wa-mediated decrease in cell viability was observed through apoptosis as demonstrated by externa ... | 2008 | 18987975 |
| purification of a lectin-like antifungal protein from the medicinal herb, withania somnifera. | a 30 kda monomeric acidic lectin-like protein was purified from the leaves of an important medicinal herb, withania somnifera (l.) dunal (solanaceae), by a series of gel filtration and affinity chromatography methods. the inhibitory concentration of the protein ranged from 7 microg to 11 microg against major phytopathogens under in vitro conditions. the peptide sequence showed similarity to concanavalin a like lectin from canavalia ensiformis and caused distinct cell wall adhesion of the protein ... | 2009 | 18977281 |
| neuronutrient impact of ayurvedic rasayana therapy in brain aging. | ayurveda is the oldest system of medicine in the world, its antiquity going back to the vedas. it adapts a unique holistic approach to the entire science of life, health and cure. the areas of special consideration in ayurveda are geriatrics, rejuvenation, nutrition, immunology, genetics and higher consciousness. the ayurvedic texts describe a set of rejuvenative measures to impart biological sustenance to the bodily tissues. these remedies are called rasayana which are claimed to act as micronu ... | 2008 | 18931935 |
| retraction. nootropic-like effect of ashwagandha (withania somnifera l.) in mice. | 2008 | 18814186 | |
| withaferin a causes foxo3a- and bim-dependent apoptosis and inhibits growth of human breast cancer cells in vivo. | withaferin a (wa) is derived from the medicinal plant withania somnifera, which has been safely used for centuries in indian ayurvedic medicine for treatment of different ailments. we now show, for the first time, that wa exhibits significant activity against human breast cancer cells in culture and in vivo. the wa treatment decreased viability of mcf-7 (estrogen-responsive) and mda-mb-231 (estrogen-independent) human breast cancer cells in a concentration-dependent manner. the wa-mediated suppr ... | 2008 | 18794155 |
| protective role of withaferin-a on 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene-induced genotoxicity in bone marrow of syrian golden hamsters. | the present study has investigated the antigenotoxic effect of withaferin-a, a steroidal lactone obtained from the roots and leaves of withania somnifera, in 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (dmba)-induced genotoxicity. measurement of the frequency of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes (mnpces) and chromosomal aberrations is used as cytogenetic endpoints. a single intraperitoneal injection of dmba (30 mg/kg b.w.) to golden syrian hamsters resulted in marked elevation in the frequency of mnp ... | 2008 | 18752311 |
| establishment of withania somnifera hairy root cultures for the production of withanolide a. | withania sominifera (indian ginseng) was transformed by agrobacterium rhizogenes. explants from seedling roots, stems, hypocotyls, cotyledonary nodal segments, cotyledons and young leaves were inoculated with a. rhizogenes strain r1601. hairy (transformed) roots were induced from cotyledons and leaf explants. the transgenic status of hairy roots was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction using nptii and rolb specific primers and, subsequently, by southern analysis for the presence of nptii and r ... | 2008 | 18713347 |
| effect of withania somnifera dunal in ethanol-induced anxiolysis and withdrawal anxiety in rats. | withania somnifera (ws) or its psychotropic preparation is known to play a critical role in morphine, alcohol and benzodiazepines addiction. this study investigates the role of ws in acute ethanol and withdrawal from chronic ethanol consumption using elevated plus maze paradigm in rats. acute administration of ethanol (1.5-2 g/kg, ip) triggered anxiolytic effect and withdrawal from prolonged ethanol (9% v/v ethanol, 15 days) consumption elicited enhanced behavioral despair (anxiety). acute admin ... | 2008 | 18697607 |
| effect of withania somnifera dunal root extract against pentylenetetrazol seizure threshold in mice: possible involvement of gabaergic system. | withania somnifera (ashwagandha) is a widely used herb in the ayurvedic system of medicine. the objective of the present study was to elucidate the effect of w. somnifera root extract (ws) alone or in combination with exogenous gamma-amino butyric acid (gaba), a gaba receptor agonist or with diazepam, a gaba receptor modulator against pentylenetetrazol (ptz, iv) seizure threshold in mice. minimal dose of ptz (iv, mg/kg) needed to induce different phases (myoclonic jerks, generalized clonus and t ... | 2008 | 18697606 |