Herbals Category // Himalaya // AshvaGandha

Benefits of Ashvagandha
   - Ashvagandha promotes physical fitness

Benefits of Ashvagandha
   - Ashvagandha promotes physical fitness
   - Ashvagandha relieves stress
   - Ashvagandha is a strong rejuvenative
   - Ashvagandha supports a normal inflammatory response
   - Ashvagandha promotes sound sleep
   - Ashvagandha supports brain functions.
   - Ashvagandha is a powerful aphrodisiac.

Directions for taking Himalaya Ashvagandha
1 or 2 capsules twice daily with meals. Allow several weeks for long lasting benefits.

Ashvagandha Facts:
Botanical Name: : WITHANIA SOMNIFERA
Family Name: : SOLANACEAE
Part Used : Root, Leaves

Ashvagandha is cultivated throughout drier parts of India. It is a plant in the same family as the tomato. It grows as a stout shrub that reaches a height of five feet (170 centimeters). Ashwaganda bears yellow flowers and red fruit which are berrylike in size and shape. It is Tonic, Abortifacient, Astringent, Deobstruent, Nervine, Aphrodisiac and Sedative. It is official Indian Pharmacoepeia. It is popularly known as Indian Ginseng. It gives vitality and vigour and helps in building greater endurance.

Ashvagandha in Sanskrit means " smelling like a horse ", probably originating from the odor of its fresh root which resembles that of a sweaty horse. Ashvagandha is a well known anti-stress herb. The species name somnifera means "sleep-bearing" in Latin, indicating it was considered a sedative, but it has been also used for sexual vitality and as an adaptogen. It is also popularly known as Indian Ginseng. Active ingredient are withanolides, similar to ginsenosides of Asian ginseng

Ashvagandha in Ayurveda:
Ayurveda makes mention of Ashvagandha in the teachings of sage Punarvasu Atreya which goes back to over 4000 years. Ancient Ayurvedic texts including the Charaka and Sushruta Samhitas praise Ashvagandha as a tonic especially for emaciation in people of all ages including babies and enhancing the reproductive function of both men and women. It has also been used for inflammations and as a major tonic to counteract the ravages of aging and promote youthful longevity. Some of its other traditional uses have been as a mild purgative for chronic constipation and for the treatment of swollen glands.

Ashwagandha is ushan virya in potency, has laghu (light) and tickt (penetrating) properties. Contains tickt, katu and madhur rasa. As it is ushan virya in potency, it acts as vata suppressant. Therefore relieves from all the illness caused by vata dominance. Also because of its hot potency, it opposes the rise of kapha therefore it also acts in suppressing increased and unbalanced kapha dosha. Root is found to contain biochemical like cuseohygrine, anahygrine, tropine, and anaferine etc. it also contains glycosides, withenolide with starches and amino acid.

Traditionally, Ashwagandha has been used in many ways--as a sedative, a diuretic, a rejuvenating tonic 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.
Pure Ashvagandha from Himalaya Herbals
Himalaya Ashvagandha is from the renowned Himalaya Herbals brand endorsed by over 250,000 doctors worldwide and used by customers in over 60 countries. Himalaya Herbals products have been researched clinically and standardized to guarantee bioequivalence. Bioequivalence refers to ensuring that the product on the market is equivalent to the one on which clinical trials were successfully conducted. Himalaya Herbal Healthcare uses chromatographic fingerprinting, one of the most sophisticated standardization techniques, to ensure consistent quality and performance

Ashvagandha Research and Clinical Studies
Ashvagandha has been subjected to many studies that show its benefits in relaxation and rejuvenation.

Researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Center have studied Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera). They found that extracts of the shrub had activity that was similar to GABA, which could explain why the plant is effective in reducing anxiety.

Scholars from the University of Leipzig, Germany looked at the effects of Ashwagandha on the brain. The research showed Ashwagandha led to more acetylcholine receptor activity. The scholars concluded that the increase of activity in that particular neurotransmitter could account for the increase in cognitive ability and memory attributed to Ashwagandha.

Scholars at Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India, conducted research which proves many of the elements of Ashwagandha are antioxidants. The researchers found that Ashwagandha led to larger amounts of three different natural antioxidants: superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase. The antioxidant effect of active principles of Ashwagandha may explain the anti-stress, cognition-facilitating and anti-aging effects produced in clinical situations.