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Ashwagandha is an herb with many scientifically proven benefits..

"In addition to ashwagandha’s documented neuroprotective effects, exciting recent evidence suggests that it also has the potential to stop cancer cells in their tracks. For example, a recent analysis showed that ashwagandha extract inhibited the growth of human breast, lung, and colon cancer cell lines in the laboratory. This inhibition was comparable to that achieved with the common cancer chemotherapy drug doxorubicin (Caelyx®, Myocet®). In fact, researchers reported that withaferin A, a specific compound extracted from ashwagandha, was more effective than doxorubicin in inhibiting breast and colon cancer cell growth.11,14

Scientists in India recently conducted cell studies showing that ashwagandha extract disrupts cancer cells’ ability to reproduce—a key step in fighting cancer. Additionally, laboratory analysis indicates that ashwagandha extract possesses anti-angiogenic activity, also known as the ability to prevent cancer from forming new blood vessels to support its unbridled growth. These findings lend further support to ashwagandha’s potential role in fighting cancer.15 Based on these studies, research in this area continues.

In another study, orally administered ashwagandha extract significantly inhibited experimentally induced stomach cancer in laboratory animals. Tumor incidence was reduced by 60% and tumor multiplicity (number) by 92%. Similarly, in a rodent model of skin cancer, ashwagandha inhibited tumor incidence and multiplicity by 45% and 71%, respectively.16 Ashwagandha’s protective effect against skin cancer has been shown in other studies as well.17

A recent experiment demonstrated that ashwagandha extract produced a marked increase in life span and a decrease in tumor weight in animals with experimentally induced cancer of the lymphatic system.18 This is an exciting finding, suggesting that ashwagandha could enhance survival in individuals with cancer."

"Ashwagandha extract may also have applications as an adjunct to cancer chemotherapy treatment. One of the consequences of chemotherapy is neutropenia, a decrease in white blood cells called neutrophils that can leave patients dangerously vulnerable to infection. A study of animals demonstrated that orally administered ashwagandha extract protected against this decline in infection-fighting neutrophils. While further human studies are needed, these findings suggest that ashwagandha may be an excellent adjunctive therapy to chemotherapy.19

Another animal study investigated ashwagandha extract’s effects in normalizing the immune-suppressing effects of chemotherapy. When test animals received a common chemotherapy drug, levels of the desirable immune factors interferon-gamma and interleukin-2 decreased.

When the animals also received orally administered ashwagandha extract, however, their immune system parameters remained normal. These findings add support to the idea that ashwagandha may help protect immune function during chemotherapy treatment.20"

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"PURPOSE: Ashwagandha is regarded as a wonder shrub of India and is commonly used in Ayurvedic medicine and health tonics that claim its variety of health-promoting effects. Surprisingly, these claims are not well supported by adequate studies, and the molecular mechanisms of its action remain largely unexplored to date. We undertook a study to identify and characterize the antitumor activity of the leaf extract of ashwagandha. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Selective tumor-inhibitory activity of the leaf extract (i-Extract) was identified by in vivo tumor formation assays in nude mice and by in vitro growth assays of normal and human transformed cells. To investigate the cellular targets of i-Extract, we adopted a gene silencing approach using a selected small hairpin RNA library and found that p53 is required for the killing activity of i-Extract. RESULTS: By molecular analysis of p53 function in normal and a variety of tumor cells, we found that it is selectively activated in tumor cells, causing either their growth arrest or apoptosis. By fractionation, purification, and structural analysis of the i-Extract constituents, we have identified its p53-activating tumor-inhibiting factor as with a none. CONCLUSION: We provide the first molecular evidence that the leaf extract of ashwagandha selectively kills tumor cells and, thus, is a natural source for safe anticancer medicine.

PMID: 17404115 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]"