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Winters M. Ancient
medicine, modern use:
Withania somnifera and
its potential role in
integrative oncology.
Altern Med Rev.
2006;11(4):269-277.
Ashwagandha (Withania
somnifera) has been used
for centuries in
Ayurvedic medicine to
increase longevity and
vitality.1 Western
research supports its
polypharmaceutical use,
confirming antioxidant,
anti-inflammatory,
immune-modulating, and
antistress properties in
the whole plant extract
and several separate
constituents.2 The
author reviews the
literature
pertaining to
ashwagandha and its
botanical constituents
as antitumor agents and
its use in
conjunction with
radiation and
chemotherapy treatment.
The review was limited
to books and articles
published in English and
indexed on the
MEDLINE and EBSCO
medical databases.
Keywords used were
Withania somnifera,
Dunal,
ashwagandha (including
alternate spellings),
winter cherry, Indian
ginseng, withanolide,
glycowithanolide,
withaferin, and rasayana.
Of the 218 articles
about the herb
identified, 55
pertain directly to its
antitumor actions or
explore its effects when
administered
concomitantly with
radiation and/or
chemotherapy.
Both in vivo and in
vitro research attest to
the cytotoxic and
antitumor potential of
ashwagandha. The author
cites a study in which
osteogenic sarcoma and
breast carcinoma
cell lines were treated
with 3-24 μg/mL aqueous
leaf powder extract of
ashwagandha. Study
results revealed that
the cells treated with
ashwagandha showed
reduced proliferation
compared with controls.
The same cells exposed
to high oxidative stress
via a high-glucose
medium or exposure to
H2O2 were actually more
susceptible to the
effects of oxidative
damage after treatment
with the ashwagandha
extract. This suggests
that ashwagandha has an
antiproliferative
effect, but not an
antioxidant effect, on
human tumor cells.
In vivo research on
ashwagandha as an
antitumor agent confirms
its usefulness in
slowing
tumor growth and
increasing survival
time, says the author.
The herb exhibits both
antioxidant and
pro-oxidant activity.
Tumor-bearing animals
treated
with both
intraperitoneal and oral
doses of ashwagandha
showed increased
glutathione,
superoxide dismutase,
glutathione peroxidase,
and catalase in the
liver and skin.3,4 The
author
cites a study that
suggests that
ashwagandha may also
mitigate unregulated
cell growth via
the potent tumor
suppressor gene p53,
which regulates cell
cycle proliferation.
Other
antitumor mechanisms of
ashwagandha include
inhibition of
angiogenesis, NF-κB
(nuclear
factor kappaB)
suppression, and
enhancement of the
immune system.
The author cites studies
showing that ashwagandha
enhances the effect of
radiation on tumor
size and has the
capacity to mitigate
some side effects of the
radiation therapy. For
instance,
in mice, ashwagandha has
been shown to reduce the
side effects of
chemotherapeutic agents,
cyclophosphamide and
paclitaxel, without
interfering with the
tumor-reducing actions
of the
drugs.
Limited research has
explored the possibility
of mitigating
doxorubicin
cardiotoxicity
through utilization of
an herbal formula
(CardiPro®; Square
Pharmaceuticals Ltd.;
Bangladesh) that
includes 25 mg
ashwagandha root
extract. Animals
receiving combination
therapy demonstrated
less ascites and a
halving of mortality
rate. The cardiotoxicity
of the
doxorubicin was also
mitigated. Research is
warranted, say the
author, to establish
whether
WS alone could act as a
cardioprotective therapy
in conjunction with
doxorubicin.
All the effects of
ashwagandha have been
demonstrated either in
vitro on human cancer
cell
lines or in vivo on
animal subjects.
According to the author,
no human trials have
been
conducted.
"Withania somnifera
shows great potential as
a safe and effective
antineoplastic agent,"
concludes the author. He
suggests that more
research be conducted to
determine if the herb
can duplicate this
activity in humans and
to determine an optimal
dosage range for
achieving
the effects.
"Experienced natural
medicine practitioners,
working hand-in-hand
with
oncologists, could
increase effectiveness
and decrease side
effects of conventional
treatments
with the use of Withania
somnifera."
―Shari Henson
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