- Treats Infection
- Promotes overall Wellness
- Immune system Support
- Anti-Cancer
Ashwagandha has been used as an herbal remedy for hundreds of years. It
has many applications, and has been used by Native Americans and
Africans to treat inflammation, fevers, and to protect against
infection or illness. It has also been used to boost the immune system,
improve memory, and to promote overall wellness.
Ashwagandha is a shrub that flourishes in India and North America. The
roots of the ashwagandha plant have been employed for millennia by
Ayurvedic healers. Ashwagandha has many beneficial elements, including
flavonoids and members of the withanolide class. Numerous modern
studies have found that ashwagandha is very effective in reducing
inflammation, treating tumors, decreasing stress, increasing mental
activity, invigorating the body, and as an antioxidant.
Health Benefits of Ashwagandha
Scholars at Banaras Hindu University, located in Varanasi, India, have
conducted research that has shown that many of the elements of
ashwagandha are antioxidants. The researchers looked at the effects
these elements have on the brains of test animals and found that
ashwagandha led to larger amounts of three different natural
antioxidants: superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione
peroxidase. The scholars conclude, “These findings are consistent with
the therapeutic use of W. somnifera as an Ayurvedic rasayana (health
promoter). The antioxidant effect of active principles of W. somnifera
may explain, at least in part, the reported anti-stress,
cognition-facilitating, anti-inflammatory and anti-aging effects
produced by them in experimental animals, and in clinical situations."
For years, Indians have prescribed ashwagandha as a treatment for
cerebral disorders in the elderly, including memory loss. Scholars from
the University of Leipzig looked at the effects of ashwagandha on the
brain. They dosed rats with ashwagandha and then looked at their brains
to see if ashwagandha affected neurotransmitters. The research showed
that 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 that is attributed to ashwagandha.
Researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Center also
looked at the effects of ashwagandha. 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.
Another study, conducted in 2002, found that ashwagandha leads to
increased growth of axons and dendrites. Another study in 2001 found
that the plant can enhance memory. A 2000 project indicated that
ashwagandha reduced anxiety and depression in animals.
Studies Suggest Potent Anti-Cancer
Activity
In addition to ashwagandha’s documented neuroprotective effects,
exciting recent evidence suggests that it also has the potential to
stop cancer cells in their tracks. For example, a recent analysis
showed that ashwagandha extract inhibited the growth of human breast,
lung, and colon cancer cell lines in the laboratory. This inhibition
was comparable to that achieved with the common cancer chemotherapy
drug doxorubicin (Caelyx®, Myocet®). In fact, researchers
reported that withaferin A, a specific compound extracted from
ashwagandha, was more effective than doxorubicin in inhibiting breast
and colon cancer cell growth.11,14
Scientists in India recently conducted cell studies showing that
ashwagandha extract disrupts cancer cells’ ability to reproduce—a key
step in fighting cancer. Additionally, laboratory analysis indicates
that ashwagandha extract possesses anti-angiogenic activity, also known
as the ability to prevent cancer from forming new blood vessels to
support its unbridled growth. These findings lend further support to
ashwagandha’s potential role in fighting cancer.15 Based on these studies, research
in this area continues.
In another study, orally administered ashwagandha extract
significantly inhibited experimentally induced stomach cancer in
laboratory animals. Tumor incidence was reduced by 60% and tumor
multiplicity (number) by 92%. Similarly, in a rodent model of skin
cancer, ashwagandha inhibited tumor incidence and multiplicity by 45%
and 71%, respectively.16
Ashwagandha’s protective effect against skin cancer has been shown in
other studies as well.17
A recent experiment demonstrated that ashwagandha extract produced a
marked increase in life span and a decrease in tumor weight in animals
with experimentally induced cancer of the lymphatic system.18 This is an exciting finding,
suggesting that ashwagandha could enhance survival in individuals with
cancer
Dose
500mg up to 3x a day
