title: Water extract of ashwagandha leaves limits proliferation and migration, and induces differentiation in glioma cells.
abstract: Root extracts of Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha) are commonly used as a remedy for a variety of ailments and a general tonic for overall health and longevity in the Indian traditional medicine system, Ayurveda. We undertook a study to investigate the anti-proliferative and differentiation-inducing activities in the water extract of Ashwagandha leaves (ASH-WEX) by examining in glioma cells. Preliminary detection for phytochemicals was performed by thin-layer chromatography. Cytotoxicity was determined using trypan blue and MTT assays. Expression level of an hsp70 family protein (mortalin), glial cell differentiation marker [glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)] and neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) were analyzed by immunocytochemistry and immunoblotting. Anti-migratory assay was also done using wound-scratch assay. Expression levels of mortalin, GFAP and NCAM showed changes, subsequent to the treatment with ASH-WEX. The data support the existence of anti-proliferative, differentiation-inducing and anti-migratory/anti-metastasis activities in ASH-WEX that could be used as potentially safe and complimentary therapy for glioma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar 143005, India.
authors.forename: Hardeep
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kataria
authors.forename: Navjot
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.forename: Sunil C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Kaul
authors.forename: Renu
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wadhwa
authors.forename: Gurcharan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kaur