Withania / Ashwaganda

Bij gebrek aan verse wortels van de Withania heb ik toch maar van de gedroogde een tinctuur gemaakt. Dat hoeft zeker niet slechter te zijn, goed gedroogde wortels zijn zelfs geconcentreerder omdat er geen water meer in zit. Deze tinctuur is gemaakt met 100cc ethanol van 45° en 20 gr gedroogde wortel, dus gewichtsverhouding van 1:5.
Withania of Ashwaganda is een Indische plant met adaptogene werking enigszins te vergelijken met Panax ginseng. Withania behoort tot de familie der Nachtschade-achtigen.

Met de plantenfamilie van de Nachtschaden heeft de mensheid altijd een haat-liefde verhouding gehad. Gifig, gezond en hallucinogeen! Denk maar aan de aardappel, de tomaat maar ook aan doornappel en bilzenkruid. Ashwagandha is beroemd en berucht als het liefdeskruid uit de Kama Sutra, gekend als Indische ginseng, beschreven in het Bowermanuscript. Lees meer op http://dier-en-natuur.infonu.nl/bloemen-en-planten/60484-ashwaganda-kruid-voor-paardenkracht.html

The medicinal plant Withania somnifera is widely known for its anti-inflammatory, cardioactive and CNS effects. In Ayurveda, withanolide, which are extracted from Withania somnifera, are employed in the treatment of arthritis and menstrual disorders and are known to be potent inhibitors of angiogenesis, inflammation, tumour development, metastasis and oxidative stress, and a promoter of cardioprotection. Many pharmacological studies have investigated the properties of Withania somnifera in an attempt to authenticate its use as a multipurpose medical agent. Experimental studies have shown that Withania sominifera possesses anti-inflammatory, antitumour, cardioprotective and antioxidant properties. Withaferin A, one of the compounds in the withanolide family, is a potent inhibitor of angiogenesis. It also appears to exert a positive influence on the endocrine, urogenital and central nervous systems. In recent years, herbal formulations containing substantial amounts of Withania somnifera root extract have been evaluated in small clinical trials and shown to have efficacy in the treatment of osteoarthritis. Extracts are also known to significantly inhibit tumour growth in vivo. However, the mechanisms responsible for the antitumour effects of withanolide are still unknown.

The authors found that withanolide suppressed NF-κB activation induced by a wide variety of inflammatory and carcinogenic agents, including TNF, IL-1β, doxorubicin and cigarette smoke condensate. Withanolide also enhanced the apoptosis induced by TNF and chemotherapeutic agents and suppressed invasion. These results indicate that withanolide inhibit activation of NF-κB and NF-κB-regulated gene expression. This may explain their ability to enhance apoptosis and inhibit invasion.

http://naturalsupplementsresearch.org/assets/applets/From_traditional_Ayurvedic_medicine_to_modern_medicine-_identification_of_therapeutic_targets_for.pdf