Clinical studies / Clinical justification:
The herb Ashwagandha is well supported with research papers published all over
the world in renowned medical research journals of modern era. The researches
of modern times have also approved the same properties as described in
Ayurveda. Summary of some of the research papers is given here to support its
inclusion in NEEROGA Capsules.
-
1) Drug Metabol Drug Interact. 2003;19 (3):211-22.
Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha) attenuates antioxidant defense in aged spinal
cord and inhibits copper induced lipid peroxidation and protein oxidative
modifications.
Gupta SK, Dua A, Vohra BP.
Department of Zoology, Kurukshetra University, Haryana, India.
Withania somnifera is classified in Ayurveda, the ancient Indian system of
medicine, as a rasayana, a group of plant-derived drugs which promote physical
and mental health, augment resistance of the body against disease and diverse
adverse environmental factors, revitalize the body in debilitated conditions
and increase longevity. We investigated the effects of Withania somnifera on
copper-induced lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzymes in aging spinal cord
of Wistar rats. The activity of glutathione peroxidase (GPx) decreased
significantly in the spinal cord from adult to aged mice. Treatment with
Withania somnifera successfully attenuated GPx activity and inhibited lipid
peroxidation in a dose dependent manner. Withania somnifera inhibited both the
lipid peroxidation and protein oxidative modification induced by copper. These
effects were similar to those of superoxide dismutase and mannitol. The results
indicate the therapeutic potential of Withania somnifera in aging and
copper-induced pathophysiological conditions.
-
2) J Ethnopharmacol. 2004 Jan; 90(1):49-55.
Immunoprotection by botanical drugs in cancer chemotherapy.
Diwanay S, Chitre D, Patwardhan B.
Department of Microbiology, Abasaheb Garware College, Pune, India.
Most of the synthetic chemotherapeutic agents available today are
immunosuppressants, cytotoxic, and exert variety of side effects that are
particularly evident in cancer chemotherapy. Botanical based immunomodulators
are often employed as supportive or adjuvant therapy to overcome the undesired
effects of cytotoxic chemotherapeutic agents and to restore normal health.
Total extract, polar and non-polar extracts, and their formulations, prepared
from medicinal plants mentioned in Ayurveda, namely, Withania somnifera (Linn
Dunal) (Solanaceae), Tinospora cordifolia (Miers) (Menispermaceae), and
Asparagus racemosus (Willd.) (Liliaceae), exhibited various
immunopharmacological activities in cyclophosphamide (CP)-treated mouse ascitic
sarcoma. Treatment of ascitic sarcoma-bearing mice with a formulation of total
extracts of Withania somnifera and Tinospora cordifolia (80:20) and
alkaloid-free polar fraction of Withania somnifera resulted in protection
towards CP-induced myelo- and immunoprotection as evident by significant
increase in white cell counts and hemagglutinating and hemolytic antibody
titers. Treatment with these candidate drugs will be important in development
of supportive treatment with cancer chemotherapy.
-
3) Rejuvenation Res. 2005 Spring;8(1):37-45.
Genetically modified hairy roots of Withania somnifera Dunal: a potent source of
rejuvenating principles.
Kumar V, Murthy KN, Bhamid S, Sudha CG, Ravishankar GA.
Plant Cell Biotechnology Department, Central Food Technological Research
Institute, Mysore, Karnataka, India.
Transgenic hairy roots were induced from Withania somnifera Dunal, by infecting
leaf explants with Agrobacterium rhizogenes. Polymerase chain reaction for rol
A gene and Southern blot confirmed the integration of T-DNA in the genome.
Cultures were grown in Murashige and Skoog solid as well as in liquid medium.
The antioxidant activity was assayed in roots grown in solid media and liquid
media. Hairy roots grown in liquid media found to possess highly significant
activity in 1,1-diphenyl-2-pecryl-hydrazyl radical, beta-carotene linoleic acid
model system. The activity was 57.34%, 75.64%, and 93.41% in case DPPH model
and 55.3%, 76.3%, and 90.5% in case of b-CLAMS in 25, 50, and 100 mg L(-1)
concentration, respectively. In case of hydroxyl radical trapping and brain
lipid peroxidation assay, the activity was more significant in hairy roots
grown on solid medium in comparison with commercial formulation prepared using
normal roots and standard withanaloids. Root extract grown in solid medium has
shown 93.2% hydroxyl radical trapping activity at 100 mg L(-1) concentration,
and 500 mg L(-1) has shown 83.6% in case of brain lipid peroxidation assay.
High-performance liquid chromatography analysis demonstrated the presence of
withanaloids in the hairy root extracts. The results of the study clearly
indicate that there is enhancement of secondary metabolites in hairy roots,
which is indicated through significant enhancement of the antioxidant activity,
since these are the major constituents responsible for the activity. This is
the first report on the presence of antioxidant principles in genetically
modified roots of W. somnifera. These results of the present study may aid in
utilization of the W. somnifera hairy roots for its rejuvenating principles.
-
4) Food Chem Toxicol. 2004 Dec;42(12):2015-20.
Evaluation of the anti-proliferative and anti-oxidative activities of leaf
extract from in vivo and in vitro raised Ashwagandha.
Kaur K, Rani G, Widodo N, Nagpal A, Taira K, Kaul SC, Wadhwa R.
Cell Proliferation Research Team, Gene Function Research Center, National
Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 1-1-1 Higashi,
Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8562, Japan.
Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha) is used in Indian traditional
medicine, Ayurveda and is believed to have a variety of health promoting
effects. Molecular mechanisms and pathways underlying these effects have not
been studied. We tried to characterize various activities of leaf extract of
Ashwagandha (Lash) raised in the field and in the laboratory. We found that the
Lash from field-raised plants has a significant anti-proliferative activity in
human tumorigenic cells. However, it did not impart any protection against the
oxidative damage caused by high glucose and hydrogen peroxide to human tumor
cells suggesting that it can be used as an anti-tumor, but not as an
anti-oxidant, substance.
-
5) J Ethnopharmacol. 2004 Aug;93(2-3):359-61.
Anticarcinogenic activity of Withania somnifera Dunal against Dalton's ascitic
lymphoma.
Christina AJ, Joseph DG, Packialakshmi M, Kothai R, Robert SJ,
Chidambaranathan N, Ramasamy M.
Division of Pharmacology, K.M. College of Pharmacy, Uthangudi, Melur Road,
Madurai 625 107, Tamil Nadu, India. tinatina38@rediffmail.com
The effect of ethanolic extract of the root of Withania somnifera Dunal (REWS)
against Dalton's Ascitic Lymphoma has been evaluated in Swiss albino mice. A
significant increase in the life span and a decrease in the cancer cell number
and tumour weight were noted in the tumour-induced mice after treatment with
REWS. The hematological parameters were also corrected by REWS in
tumour-induced mice. These observations are suggestive of the protective effect
of REWS in Dalton's Ascitic Lymphoma (DAL).