Abstract

THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF WITHANIA SOMNIFERA: A REVIEW

D. Parameswari* and Kalaiselvi Senthil

ABSTRACT

Withania somnifera Dunal is nature gifted multipurpose medicinal plant, belongs to the family solanaceae are generally admired as medicinally desirable due to the high therapeutic, nutraceutical and pharmaceutical potential. One among the genus, W. somnifera possessed a overabundance of medicinal uses and pharmacological applications. It contain rich in several valued active metabolites such as steroids, alkaloids, flavonoids, phenolics, saponins, and glycosides. A wide range of preclinical trials such as cardioprotective, anticancer, antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, anti-depressant, and hypoglycemic have been attributed to several parts of the plant. Different parts of the plant have also been evaluated for the clinical trials such as male infertility, obsessive-compulsive disorder, antianxiety, bone and muscle strengthening potential, hypolipidemic, and antidiabetic. This review focuses on folk medicinal uses, botanical distribution, phytochemistry, pharmaceutical importance, Phytochemical constituents, pharmacological and Therapeutic potential of the multiuse plant.

Keywords: Withania somnifera, Withanolides, Anticancer activity, Pharmaceutical properties.