A LITERARY REVIEW ON ASHWAGANDHA (Withania somnifera (Linn) Dunal): AN AYURVEDIC APHRODISIAC DRUG

Summary of article contents:

Ashwagandha ( Withania somnifera (Linn) Dunal), is one of the essential medicinal herbs in Ayurveda used from time immemorial . . It is believed that the herb imparts the vigour and strength of a stallionwhen taken which is known by its name ‘ hayahwaya- ’(because of providing horse potency, it isknown by title of horse). There is no reference about it in Vedas. But all Ayurvedic classic literature like Charaka, Susrutha and Vagbhatta and all the nighantus has elaborately mentioned about the properties, action and therapeutic uses of ashwagandha in their works. Charaka, Susrutha and Vagbhatta does not mention about the shukrala properties or vajeekarana actions of Ashwagandha . It is later authors like Sharangadhara, Chakradutta, Vrndha Madhava and all nighantu’s which mentioned about the above said actions of Ashwagandha . This article is a review on Ashwagandha from all the available classical literature and it also throws light on how Ashwagandha acts as an aphrodisiac drug Keywords: Withania somnifera, Ashwagandha , Ayurvedic aphrodisiac INTRODUCTION Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera (Linn ) Dunal) (Solanaceae) is an ayurvedic herb widely distributed throughout India. Ashwagandha ( Withania somnifera (Linn) Dunal), is a very important medicinal herbs in Ayurveda used from ancient times. From medieval period onwards, Ashwagandha emerged as anaphrodisiac agent and immunomodulator. The recent development in research reveals that US patent office has granted a patent to a new vaccine adjuvant extracted from Ashwagandha which is used as immunity enhancer. The grant of patent has opened up further prospects of far more effective vaccines for the im- INTERNATIONAL AYURVEDIC MEDICAL JOURNAL International Ayurvedic Medical Journal, ( ISSN: 2320 5091) (October, 2017) 5(10) A LITERARY REVIEW ON ASHWAGANDHA ( Withania somnifera (Linn) Dunal): AN AYURVEDIC APHRODISIAC DRUG Shalini.R 1 , Jolly Kutty Eapen 2 , Deepa.M.S 3 1 PG Scholar, Govt Ayurveda College, TVM, Kerala, India 2 Professor, Department of Dravyaguna Vijnanam, Govt Ayurveda College, TVM, Kerala, India 3 Associate Professor, Govt Ayurveda College, TVM, Kerala, India Email: shalur 2014@gmail.com ABSTRACT Ashwagandha ( Withania somnifera (Linn) Dunal), is one of the essential medicinal herbs in Ayurveda used from time immemorial . . It is believed that the herb imparts the vigour and strength of a stallionwhen taken which is known by its name ‘ hayahwaya- ’(because of providing horse potency, it isknown by title of horse). There is no reference about it in Vedas. But all Ayurvedic classic literature like Charaka, Susrutha and Vagbhatta and all the nighantus has elaborately mentioned about the properties, action and therapeutic uses of ashwagandha in their works. Charaka, Susrutha and Vagbhatta does not mention about the shukrala properties or vajeekarana actions of Ashwagandha . It is later authors like Sharangadhara, Chakradutta, Vrndha Madhava and all nighantu’s which mentioned about the above said actions of Ashwagandha . This article is a review on Ashwagandha from all the available classical literature and it also throws light on how Ashwagandha acts as an aphrodisiac drug Keywords: Withania somnifera, Ashwagandha , Ayurvedic aphrodisiac INTRODUCTION Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera (Linn ) Dunal) (Solanaceae) is an ayurvedic herb widely distributed throughout India. Ashwagandha ( Withania somnifera (Linn) Dunal), is a very important medicinal herbs in Ayurveda used from ancient times. From medieval period onwards, Ashwagandha emerged as anaphrodisiac agent and immunomodulator. The recent development in research reveals that US patent office has granted a patent to a new vaccine adjuvant extracted from Ashwagandha which is used as immunity enhancer. The grant of patent has opened up further prospects of far more effective vaccines for the im- INTERNATIONAL AYURVEDIC MEDICAL JOURNAL International Ayurvedic Medical Journal, ( ISSN: 2320 5091) (October, 2017) 5(10) A LITERARY REVIEW ON ASHWAGANDHA ( Withania somnifera (Linn) Dunal): AN AYURVEDIC APHRODISIAC DRUG Shalini.R 1 , Jolly Kutty Eapen 2 , Deepa.M.S 3 1 PG Scholar, Govt Ayurveda College, TVM, Kerala, India 2 Professor, Department of Dravyaguna Vijnanam, Govt Ayurveda College, TVM, Kerala, India 3 Associate Professor, Govt Ayurveda College, TVM, Kerala, India Email: shalur 2014@gmail.com ABSTRACT Ashwagandha ( Withania somnifera (Linn) Dunal), is one of the essential medicinal herbs in Ayurveda used from time immemorial . . It is believed that the herb imparts the vigour and strength of a stallionwhen taken which is known by its name ‘ hayahwaya- ’(because of providing horse potency, it isknown by title of horse). There is no reference about it in Vedas. But all Ayurvedic classic literature like Charaka, Susrutha and Vagbhatta and all the nighantus has elaborately mentioned about the properties, action and therapeutic uses of ashwagandha in their works. Charaka, Susrutha and Vagbhatta does not mention about the shukrala properties or vajeekarana actions of Ashwagandha . It is later authors like Sharangadhara, Chakradutta, Vrndha Madhava and all nighantu’s which mentioned about the above said actions of Ashwagandha . This article is a review on Ashwagandha from all the available classical literature and it also throws light on how Ashwagandha acts as an aphrodisiac drug Keywords: Withania somnifera, Ashwagandha , Ayurvedic aphrodisiac INTRODUCTION Ashwagandha