Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), commonly known as Indian ginseng or winter cherry, is one of the most potent herbs in Ayurveda and has been used for more than 4000 years. The short perennial shrubs, 14–30 inches high with tuberous roots 2 ½ - 6 ½ feet long, are grown in the drier regions of India, China, Nepal, and Yemen. The name is derived from the Sanskrit words for horse (ashva) and smell (gandha), due to the root’s horse-like aroma. While the leaves and fruit have valuable properties, the root of the ashwagandha plant is most used in the Western world.

The main bioactive compounds in ashwagandha root are alkaloids, mostly withanine and withanolides. Other phytonutrients it contains are saponins, choline, beta-sitosterol, chlorogenic acid, scopoletin, withaferin, sitoindosides, oligosaccharides and polysaccharides. Low in fat, it is a good source of dietary fiber, iron, calcium, potassium, copper, zinc and manganese.*