title: Withania somnifera root extract extends lifespan of Caenorhabditis elegans.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In the ancient Indian herbal medicine system several ayurvedic preparations are claimed to have longevity enhancing effects. But, so far, no clear scientific evidence has been provided. One among them, is the roots of the plant, commonly known as Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera Dunal- WSD), which is supposed to have myriad of beneficial effects including long life.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Here, we evaluated both the root extract (RE) and its purified ingredients (PI-RE) with a similar composition as in RE obtained from the roots of WSD for lifespan extension in the well established model system, C. elegans. PI-RE could extend the lifespan of C. elegans.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used wild type C. elegans (N2) or RB918: acr-16 (ok789); andNL2099: rrf-3 (pk1426) mutant worms and analysed their lifespan assay in Ashwagandha extract spreaded on plates containing Bacterial Lawns.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Strangely, while there was no effect on the wild type worms, the mutant for the human nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, nAchR, α7 equivalent, acr-16, showed around ~20% lifespan extension when treated with PI-RE.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Thus, we are able to show that one of the age old healthy longlife supplements, Ashwagandha does extend lifespan of C. elegans.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, INDIA.
authors.forename: Ranjeet
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, INDIA.
authors.forename: Kuldeep
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, INDIA.
authors.forename: Kopal
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Saharia
authors.affiliation: IXOREAL Biomed Pvt. Ltd., Hyderabad, INDIA.
authors.forename: Deepak
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pradhan
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, INDIA.
authors.forename: Jamuna R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Subramaniam
keywords: Ashwagandha; C. elegans; Lifespan extension; Withanolides