Chemistry and pharmacology of Withania coagulans: an Ayurvedic remedy.
OBJECTIVE
The use of Withania coagulans, a member of the solanaceae family, has been highlighted in Ayurveda. We have reviewed the chemical constituents and pharmacological properties of W. coagulans, as well as its morphology. This has included therapeutic effects of the whole plant and its extracts, fractions and isolated withanolides. The hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, antihyperglycaemic, hypolipidaemic, free radical scavenging, antimicrobial, cardiovascular, central nervous system depressant, immunomodulating, antitumour and cytotoxic activities of W. coagulans have been described.


RESULTS
Research carried out using different biological testing in-vitro and in-vivo techniques supported the claims.


CONCLUSIONS
This review has covered the morphology, chemistry and pharmacology of the plant. It has described 37 compounds containing 46 references.
Maurya
Rakesh
R
Medicinal and Process Chemistry Division, Central Drug Research Institute, CSIR, Lucknow, India. mauryarakesh@rediffmail.com
D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D008515:Medicine, Ayurvedic; D015394:Molecular Structure; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018514:Plant Structures / Q000737:chemistry; D032341:Withania / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000145:classification
D010936:Plant Extracts