The present study investigated the possible protective role of Withania somnifera (Linn.) Dunal (Solanaceae) root powder against bromobenzene-induced oxidative damage in rat liver mitochondria. Administration of bromobenzene (10 mmol/kg body weight) to rats resulted in increased levels of liver marker enzymes, lipid peroxidation, TNF-α, IL-1β and VEGF. There was also marked depletion in the lev...

BACKGROUND In the ancient Indian herbal medicine system several ayurvedic preparations are claimed to have longevity enhancing effects. But, so far, no clear scientific evidence has been provided. One among them, is the roots of the plant, commonly known as Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera Dunal- WSD), which is supposed to have myriad of beneficial effects including long life. PURPOSE Here, we...

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is an Ayurvedic herb commonly used in world-renowned traditional Indian home medicine system. Roots of Ashwagandha have been traditionally known to possess a variety of therapeutic and health promoting potentials that have not been sufficiently supported by laboratory studies. Nevertheless, most, if not all, of the preventive and therapeutic potentials have been...

The herbicidal activity of Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal against the noxious weed parthenium (Parthenium hysterophorus L.) was evaluated. In a laboratory bioassay, the effect of aqueous, methanol and n-hexane shoot and root extracts of 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% w/v concentrations (on a fresh weight basis) of W. somnifera were tested against the germination and seedling growth of parthenium. In gener...

Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal is high demanding valuable medicinal plants which have pharmaceuticals properties, known for its with anolides. Nodal segment explants of W. somnifera when cultured on MS (Murashige and skoog’s, 1969) medium horizontally containing different concentration(1-3mg/l) of 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP), kinetin (Kn) and thidiazuron (TDZ) produced multiple shoots on both axil...

BACKGROUND We investigated the effects of Withania somnifera root (WS) on insulin resistance, tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in fructose-fed rats. METHODS Forty-eight Wistar-Albino male rats were randomly divided into four groups (n=12); Group I as control, Group II as sham-treated with WS by 62.5mg/g per diet, Group III fructose-fed rats received 10%W/V fructose, a...

Stress has been reported to be a causative factor for male infertility. Withania somnifera has been documented in Ayurveda and Unani medicine system for its stress-combating properties. However, limited scientific literature is available on this aspect of W. somnifera. We undertook the present study to understand the role of stress in male infertility, and to test the ability of W. somnifera to...

BACKGROUND Behavioral studies demonstrated that the administration of Withania somnifera Dunal roots extract (WSE), prolongs morphine-elicited analgesia and reduces the development of tolerance to the morphine's analgesic effect; however, little is known about the underpinning molecular mechanism(s). In order to shed light on this issue in the present paper we explored whether WSE promotes alte...