Ashwagandha -
Peter Rodrick (LAChronical.com)April 12, २००८
Ashwagandha or Withania Somnifera or has a long medicinal history dating back 5000 years. Ashwagandha or Withania Somnifera is a very significant herbal drug in Ayurveda or Indian System of medication. This meticulous herb was used to treat a variety of infectious diseases as well as tremors and inflammation especially arthritis.
Ashwagandha or Withania Somnifera is a stunning delicate plant inhabitant to Indian subcontinent. Defined by green leaves, branched limbs, and topped by seeded yellow flowers. Ashwagandha or Withania Somnifera is an eye-catching in look and of very importance in Ayurveda or Indian System of Medication. Ashwagandha or Withania Somnifera has a vast history, about 5000 years, as a holistic herb used to treat a variety of ailments.
Historically these Diseases include:Tremors, Inflammation, Infectious Diseases,Longevity,Sexual Enhancing
The shoots of the Ashwagandha or Withania Somnifera shrub are used in food and in India seeds of the Ashwagandha or Withania Somnifera are used to thicken milk. African tribes also use Ashwagandha or Withania Somnifera to treat fevers, and other inflammations.
Ashwagandha or Withania Somnifera is usually crushed and used in a traditional Ayurvedic formula called Shilajit or shilajatu. Ashwagandha or Withania Somnifera has comparable properties as Chinese ginseng.
Ashwagandha or Withania Somnifera is heat neutral which means it has no warming or cooling properties. Unlike ginseng which is a warming herb.
The active components in Ashwagandha or Withania Somnifera are alkaloids and withanoloids which provides it with the properties it possesses. Withanoloids within Ashwagandha or Withania Somnifera provides it all its medicinal character. Withanoloids consist of steroidal molecules which act to fight inflammation. Ashwagandha or Withania Somnifera is frequently compared to Chinese ginsengs which contain molecules like withanoloids called ginsenosides. For this reason Ashwagandha is frequently called Indian ginseng. Therefore, both ginseng and Ashwagandha or Withania Somnifera kindle the immune system, stop inflammation, increase memory, and helps maintain general healthy and wellness. Also it is known to augment the production of bone marrow, semen, and inhibits the aging process.
The modern medical uses of Ashwagandha or Withania Somnifera are diverse. One area in which it has been helpful is in the treatment of mental health issues. One study in particular gave thirty anxiety sufferers forty ml doses two times a day of a solution with its major ingredient of Withania Somnifera. After one month, all anxiety symptoms including panic attacks and paranoia had virtually disappeared. American counselors have also found the herb useful in treating depression, alcohol addiction and schizophrenia. Also, when Ashwagandha or Withania Somnifera is taken frequently memory and learning skills augment noticeably.

National seminar on Ayurveda to fight depression
Chandigarh, April 5
Suffering from chronic depression even after a number of allopathic pills? Well, it’s about time you turn to ayurveda for answers।
The ayurveda experts working at the Banaras Hindu University have started treating the patients with Panchkarma.
A combination of counselling, ayurvedic drugs and oiling sessions, the therapeutic emesis (vomiting of the toxins) helps in cleansing the body.
Talking to the Newsline on the sidelines of the National Seminar on Ayurveda here today, faculty at the Department of Kayachikitsa, BHU, Varanasi, Dr J S Tripathi, said the department has cured around 350 patients of chronic depression so far, with Panchkarma.
“We are the only centre who are experimenting Panchkarma on the depression patients and the majority of them are getting cured without experiencing any relapse. It’s a six months rigorous treatment programme which has to be followed by the patient,” said Dr Tripathi.
The therapy involves three distinct steps to weed out depression.
The first step is psychotherapy (sathvavajaya), which primarily includes the patient’s counselling to assess the root of the problem.
The second step includes administering drugs like Kapikatchu and aswagandha on the patient for a few days after which, he/she is admitted in the ward.
The third stage is Panchkarma, wherein a mixture is prepared, over a period of 5-6 days and administered to the patient at the end of the week for the internal cleaning of the system.