Pankaj Oudhia
Society for Parthenium Management (SOPAM)
28-A, Geeta Nagar, Raipur - 492001 India
pankajoudhia@gmail.com
www.pankajoudhia.com
Copyright © 2004. All Rights Reserved. Quotation from this document should cite and acknowledge the contributor.
Family: Solanaceae
English Name: Indian Ginseng, Winter cherry, Withania root
Common Indian Names
Gujarati - Asam, Asoda, Ghodasoda
Hindi - Asgandh
Canarese - Amangura, Hirimaddina-gadde, Sogada-bery.
Marathi - Asgundh, Kanchuki, Askandha
Sanskrit - Ashvagandha, Balada, Gandhpatri, Kamrupini, Vajini
Bengali - Ashvagandh
Punjabi-Asgand
Tamil - Asuragandi
Telugu - Asvagandhi, Penneru
Urdu - Asgandanagaori
Botanical Description: Please see Table – I
Useful Parts: Root, leaves, Green berries and seeds.
Medicinal Uses: According to Ayurveda, the root is bitter, acrid, heating, aphrodisiac, tonic, alternative, anthelmintic and useful in treatment of inflammations, psoriasis, bronchitis, asthma, consumption, ulcers, scabies, marasmus of children, insomnia, senile debility etc. According to Unani system of medicine, the root is bitter, tonic, aphrodisiac, emmenagogue, good in asthma, inflammations, leucoderma, bronchitis, lumbago, thirst etc.
Major Alkaloids: Somniferine, somnine, somniferinine, withananine, pseudo-withanine, tropino, pseudotropine, choline, cuscohygrine, isolettetierine, anaferine, anahydrine, 3-alpha-gloyloxy tropane, etc.
Reference
Agharkar, S.P. 1991. Medicinal plants of Bombay Presidency. Pbl. Scientific Publishers, Jodhurpur, India.
Krishnamurthy, T.1993. Minor forest products of India. Pbl. Oxford and IBH publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi, India.
Lindley, J. 1985. Flora Medica. Pbl. Ajay Book Service, New Delhi, India.
Singh, U; Wadhwani, A.M. and Johri, B.M. 1996. Dictionary of Economical Plants of India. Pbl. Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi, India.
Verma, D.M. Balakrishnan, N.P. and Dixit, R.D. 1993. Flora of Madhya Pradesh. Vol. I. Pbl. Botanical survey of India, Kolkata, India.
Common differences between Withania somnifera and Withania coagulans
| Withiania somnifera | Withania coagulans | |
| Synonyms | Physalis somnifera | Punneria coagulans |
| Local name | Asgandh | Punir |
| Plant | A much branched, erect, perennial undershrub, from a more or less tuberous root | A rigid, ashy-grey undershurb |
| Branches | Terete, clothed with mealy, stellate-hoary tomentum, at length some what glabrous | Woody, terete, densely clothed with mealy, stellate tomentum, sulcate when dry |
| Leaves | 5-10×3.6 cm, ovate, obtovate, or oblong, subacute or rarely obtuse, entire, rounded or somewhat produced at base, Pubescent on lower surface and glabrous on upper surface | 2-7×1-2.5 cm, elliptic-lanceolate or oblanceolate, coriaceous, obtuse at apex, both surfaces uniformly grey-tomentose due to thick coating of minute, stellate hairs |
| Flowers | in sessile, axillary, 4-6 flowered cymes, greenish-yellow | Unisexual |
| Fruits | Orange-red berry, smooth, more or less globose | Globose, smooth |
| Seeds | Yellow, somewhat scurfy | Ear-shaped, glabrous |
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