Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), also known as sleeping berry or winter cherry, belongs to the nightshade plant family (Solanaceae) and is botanically related to physalis. It is native to Africa, the Middle East and China, and is particularly common in arid regions of India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. The root of ashwagandha has been used for centuries in the traditional Ayurvedic and Unani diets of India. An early description of the medicinal plant goes back to the naturalist Carl von Linné, who initially called the plant “Physalis somnifera”. The Latin word “somnifera” means “sleep-inducing”.

The evergreen herbaceous plant can grow up to 150 centimetres tall. It is robust and adaptable. Its strong roots reach around 30 centimetres deep into the soil. One inflorescence of the sleeping berry bears four to six individual flowers. They are yellow to light green and look like little bells. When the fruit ripens, the flower enlarges into a kind of miniature lampion with a tomato-red berry on the inside. However, what looks so appetizing is poisonous because of the saponins it contains.

Use in Ayurvedic dietetics

The roots of the small evergreen shrub are usually used for food supplements. These have a distinctive smell that gives ashwagandha its name (from the Sanskrit “smell of the horse”). In addition to the root, the leaves of ashwagandha can also be used.

Ashwagandha is one of the most frequently used remedies in Ayurvedic nutrition. The medicinal plant is said to be well tolerated and, according to tradition, it helps you fall asleep, provides inner peace and increases performance.

Like ginseng or roseroot, the sleeping berry is considered an “adaptogen” – this is the name given to plants that have properties that improve our physical adaptability due to their ingredients. The main ingredients of ashwagandha include calming alkaloids. Ashwagandha’s biochemical effects are said to help the body adapt better to mental and physical stress. ^{(1, 2)}

Ashwagandha contains various plant-based active ingredients that are said to be responsible for its beneficial properties. The so-called withanolides have been particularly well studied. Withanolides are said to have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and immune-boosting properties. ^{(3, 4)}

Further reading

1. Speers AB, Cabey KA, Soumyanath A, Wright KM. Effects of Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha) on Stress and the Stress- Related Neuropsychiatric Disorders Anxiety, Depression, and Insomnia. Curr Neuropharmacol. 2021;19(9):1468-95.
2. Vittal M, Vinciguerra M. Enhancing healthspan with Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera): a comprehensive review of its multifaceted geroprotective benefits. Biogerontology. 2025;26(5):179.
3. Mandlik Ingawale DS, Namdeo AG. Pharmacological evaluation of Ashwagandha highlighting its healthcare claims, safety, and toxicity aspects. J Diet Suppl. 2021;18(2):183-226.
4. Paul S, Chakraborty S, Anand U, Dey S, Nandy S, Ghorai M, et al. Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal (Ashwagandha): A comprehensive review on ethnopharmacology, pharmacotherapeutics, biomedicinal and toxicological aspects. Biomed Pharmacother. 2021;143:112175.