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.

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.

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).

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.

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.