botanical record · discovered

Ashwagandha

Withania somnifera

Ashwagandha · Geneesblar · Geneesbossie · Indian Ginseng · Jimsém-indiano · Meidjieblaar · Poison Gooseberry · Poisonous Gooseberry · Rennet · Schlafbeere (DE); Hierba del sueno (ES) · Stuipebossie · Ti poc-poc · Ubuvimba · Vernietsiektebossie · Vuilsiektebos · Winter Cherry · Winter Cherry (EN) · Winterkirsche · Withania · Withania somnifère, Ginseng indien, Ashwagandha

At a glance

Origin / distribution: Pakistan, India(Punjab), Ethiopia, India(Ayurvedic), Iraq, India, Africa, Sudan

Cultural traditions: not documented

Recorded uses: Abortifacient, Anodyne, Arthritis, Asthma

Science studied: ALKALOIDS, ANAFERINE, ANAHYGRINE, CHLOROGENIC-ACID

Research volume: 0 indexed records · volume only · methodology ↗

Legal status: Varies by jurisdiction; not assessed in this record.

Names and identity

Family: Solanaceae

Scientific name: Withania somnifera

Common names: Ashwagandha, Geneesblar, Geneesbossie, Indian Ginseng, Jimsém-indiano, Meidjieblaar, Poison Gooseberry, Poisonous Gooseberry, Rennet, Schlafbeere (DE); Hierba del sueno (ES), Stuipebossie, Ti poc-poc, Ubuvimba, Vernietsiektebossie, Vuilsiektebos, Winter Cherry, Winter Cherry (EN), Winterkirsche, Withania, Withania somnifère, Ginseng indien, Ashwagandha

POWO: 821709-1 · WCVP June 2026 / POWO backbone

History

The source record documents this plant in Pakistan, India(Punjab), Ethiopia, India(Ayurvedic), Iraq, India, Elsewhere, Africa and 9 additional places.

It records these historical or traditional applications:

Abortifacient
Anodyne
Arthritis
Asthma
Bronchitis
Candida
Contraceptive
Cough

show 42 more documented entries

Diuretic
Dropsy
Dyspepsia
Eye
Fever
Fungicide
Gynecopathy
Hiccup
Hypertension
Inflammation
Intestine
Lumbago
Marasmus
Narcotic
Pediculicide
Rectitis
Rennet
Rheumatism
Ringworm
Sedative
Senility
Sore
Tonic
Tumor
Tumor(Abdomen)
Viricide
Witchcraft
Wound
Cold
Debility
Enema
Poison
Rectum
Spasmolytic
Tubercle
Bactericide
Cancer
Psoriasis
Scabies
Uterus
Adenopathy
Syphilis

This summary is limited to the cited source record.

Origins and distribution

Pakistan
India(Punjab)
Ethiopia
India(Ayurvedic)
Iraq
India
Elsewhere
Africa
Sudan
India(Rajasthan)
Lesotho
Afghanistan

show 5 more documented entries

Yemen
South Africa(Kaffir)
Asia
Greece
Spain

Documented cultural uses

Abortifacient
Anodyne
Arthritis
Asthma
Bronchitis
Candida
Contraceptive
Cough
Diuretic
Dropsy
Dyspepsia
Eye

show 38 more documented entries

Fever
Fungicide
Gynecopathy
Hiccup
Hypertension
Inflammation
Intestine
Lumbago
Marasmus
Narcotic
Pediculicide
Rectitis
Rennet
Rheumatism
Ringworm
Sedative
Senility
Sore
Tonic
Tumor
Tumor(Abdomen)
Viricide
Witchcraft
Wound
Cold
Debility
Enema
Poison
Rectum
Spasmolytic
Tubercle
Bactericide
Cancer
Psoriasis
Scabies
Uterus
Adenopathy
Syphilis

Cultural record detail

These entries are transcribed from the cited ethnobotanical source; they do not represent current advice or a claim of efficacy.

Abortifacient · Pakistan · "
Anodyne · India(Punjab) · "
Arthritis · Ethiopia · "
Arthritis · India(Ayurvedic) · "
Asthma · India(Ayurvedic) · "
Bronchitis · Iraq · "
Candida · India · "
Contraceptive · Pakistan · "
Cough · Elsewhere · "
Diuretic · Africa · "
Diuretic · Sudan · "
Dropsy · Elsewhere · "
Dyspepsia · India(Rajasthan) · "
Eye · Elsewhere · "
Fever · Elsewhere · "
Fungicide · India · "
Gynecopathy · Elsewhere · "
Hiccup · Elsewhere · "
Hypertension · Elsewhere · "
Inflammation · Iraq · "
Intestine · Lesotho · "
Lumbago · India(Punjab) · "
Marasmus · India · "
Narcotic · Africa · "

40 additional documented entries remain in the source record.

Contemporary uses

Contemporary practice is not documented separately in this record.

Scientific research

Indexed records indicate research activity; they do not establish efficacy or safety.

Indexed research records

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) as an adjunct in schizophrenia: clinical signals, safety, and research priorities · 2026 source ↗
A review of protective effects of Withania somnifera and its bioactive component withaferin A in organ ischemia-reperfusion injury · 2026 source ↗
Multidimensional Neuroprotective Effects of Combined Ubisol-Q10 and Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) in Male and Female 5XFAD Mice · 2026 source ↗

Scientific compounds

Chemical presence is not evidence of clinical efficacy.

ALKALOIDS
ANAFERINE
ANAHYGRINE
CHLOROGENIC-ACID
CYSTEINE
5,20ALPHA-(R)-DIHYROXY-6ALPHA,7ALPHA-EPOXY-1-OXO-(5ALPHA)-WITHA-2,24-DIENOLIDE
5,6-EPOXY-4,17-DIHYDROXY-1-OXO-2,24-WITHADIENOLIDE
5,6-EPOXY-4,20-DIHYDROXY-1-OXO-24-WITHENOLIDE
5,6-EPOXY-20-HYDROXY-1,4-DIOXO-2-WITHENOLIDE
HENTRIACONTANE
14-HYDROXYWITHANOLIDE-D
27-HYDROXYWITHANOLIDE-D
ISOPELLETIERINE
NICOTINE
PSEUDOTROPINE
PSEUDOWITHANINE

show 130 more documented entries

SCOPOLETIN
BETA-SITOSTEROL
SOMNIFERININE
SOMNIFERINE
SOMNITOL
3ALPHA-TIGLOYOXYTROPANE
1,3,20-TRIHYDROXY-5,24-WITHADIENOLIDE
14,20R,27-TRIHYDROXY-1-OXO-3,5,24-WITHATRIENOLIDE
WITHAFERINE
WITHANANINE
CYSTINE
5ALPHA,17ALPHA-(R)-DIHYROXY-6ALPHA,7ALPHA-EPOXY-WITHA-2,24-DIENOLIDE
VISAMINE
ALPHA-WITHANANINE
WITHASOMINE
CHAMASE
DULCITOL
17-HYDROXYWITHANOLIDE-D
24-METHYLCHOLESTA-5,24-DIEN-3BETA-OL
SOMNIFERIANINE
5,24-STIGMASTADIEN-3-OL
SUCROSE
WITHANIC-ACID
WITHAFERINS
CAMPESTEROL
ISOCHLOROGENIC-ACID-C
24-ETHYLCHOLEST-5-EN-3-BETA-OL
24-ETHYLCHOLESTA-5-(Z)-24(28)-DIEN-3-BETA-OL
24-METHYLCHOLESTA-5-24(25)-DIEN-3-BETA-OL
24-ETHYLIDENE-CHOLESTEROL
KNO3
LINOLEIC-ACID
4-DEOXYPHYSALOLACTONE
QUERCETIN
QUERCETIN-3-RUTINOSIDE-7-GLUCOSIDE
QUINIC-ACID
4-O-CAFFEOYLQUINIC-ACID
RUTIN
SITOINDOSIDE-VII
SITOINDOSIDE-X
SOMINOLIDE
SOMINONE
STEARIC-ACID
STIGMASTEROL
3-TROPYLTIGLOATE
3-ALPHA-TIGLOYLOXYTROPANE
4-BETA-20-ALPHA-(R)-DIHYDROXY-1-OXO-5-BETA-6-BETA-EPOXYWITH-2-ENOLIDE
4-BETA-HYDROXY-1-OXO-5-BETA-6-BETA-EPOXYWITH-2-ENOLIDE
5-BETA-6-BETA-EPOXY-4-14-17-20-TETRAHYDROXY-1-OXOWITHA-2-24-DIELOLIDE
4-BETA-20-ALPHA-DIHYDROXY-1-OXO-5-BETA-6-BETA-EPOXYWITHA-2-24-DIENOLIDE
5-BETA-6-BETA-EPOXY-14-17-20-TRIHYDROXY-1-OXOWITHA-2-24-DIENOLIDE
20-28-DIHYDROXY-1-OXOWITHA-2-5-8(14)-24-TETRAENOLIDE
WITHACNISTIN
WITHAFERIN
WITHAFERIN-A
14-HYDROXY-27-DEOXYWITHAFERIN A
2-3-DIHYDROWITHAFERIN
27-DEOXYWITHAFERIN
DIHYDROWITHAFERIN A
WITHAFERINIL
WITHAFERINOL A
WITHANICANDRIN
2-3-DIHYDROWITHANOLIDE
7-BETA-HYDROXYWITHANOLIDE
4-BETA-HYDROXYWITHANOLIDE
WITHANOLIDE F
WITHANOLIDE H
WITHANOLIDE I
WITHANOLIDE J
WITHANOLIDE K
WITHANOLIDE L
WITHANOLIDE M
WITHANOLIDE P
WITHANOLIDE Q
WITHANOLIDE R
5-DEHYDROXYWITHANOLIDE
WITHANOLIDE WS-1
14-ALPHA-HYDROXYWITHANOLIDE
17-ALPHA-HYDROXYWITHANOLIDE
WITHANONE
WITHASOMNIFERIN A
WITHASOMNINE
WITHASONMIDIENONE
5,6-EPOXY-20-HYDROXY-1,4-DIOXO-2,24-WITHADIENOLIDE
5,6-EPOXY-4,20-DIHYDROXY-1-OXO-2-WITHENOLIDE
6,7-EPOXY-5,27-DIHYDROXY-1-OXO-2,24-WITHADIENOLIDE
CHOLINE
CUSCOHYGRINE
HYDROXYPROLINE
SOMNINE
SOMNISOL
STARCH
WITHANINE
WITHANIOL
3-TIGLOYLHYDROXYTROPANE
HYGRINE
IPURANOL
PSEUDOTROPANAOL
SITOINDOSIDES
TROPANAOL
WITHANOLIDE-D
WITHANOLIDE-G
WITHANOLIDE-N
WITHANOLIDE-O
(-)-ANAFERINE
N-HENTRIACONTANE
SITOINDOSIDE-IX
SITOINDOSIDE-VIII
SOMNIROL
2,3-DEHYDROSOMNIFERICIN
2,4-METHYLENE-CHOLESTEROL
5-ALPHA-20-ALPHA-(R)-DIHYDROXY-6-ALPHA-7-ALPHA-EPOXY-1-OXOWITHA-2,24-DIENOLIDE
5-ALPHA-27-HYDROXY-6-ALPHA-7-ALPHA-EPOXY-1-OXOWITHA-2,24-DIENOLIDE
DAUCOSTEROL
QURESIMINE-A
QURESIMINE-B
SOMNIFERANOLIDE
SOMNIFERAWITHANOLIDE
SOMNIFERICIN
SOMNIWITHANOLIDE
WITHALACTONE
WITHANOLIDE-E
WITHANOLIDE-S
WITHAOXYLACTONE
WITHASOMNIFERANOLIDE
WITHASOMNIFEROL-A
WITHASOMNIFEROL-B
WITHASOMNIFEROL-C
WITHASOMNILIDE
TROPINE

Legality

No exact international trade listing was returned by the CITES checklist for this accepted name. Country-specific law is not assessed here.

Consult the CITES species checklist for current international and national requirements.

Reference images

Sources

Plants of the World Online (POWO) · Kew data terms; cite POWO/WCVP

World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP) · CC BY 3.0

show claim source mapping

identity · DH-SRC-0030
documented_uses · DH-SRC-0030
compounds · DH-SRC-0030
taxonomy · DH-SRC-GBIF · source ↗
common_names · DH-SRC-GBIF · source ↗
countries · DH-SRC-GBIF · source ↗
wfo_taxonomy · DH-SRC-0003 · source ↗
cultural_records · DH-SRC-0030 · source ↗
powo_taxonomy · DH-SRC-0001 · source ↗
wcvp_taxonomy · DH-SRC-0002 · source ↗

CC0 · Dr. Duke raw CSV archive

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