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Scientific Validation of the Usefulness of Withania somnifera Dunal in the Prevention and Treatment of Cancer

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Anticancer plants: Properties and Application

Abstract

Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha), the member of Solanaceae family is recognized to be one of the most significant therapeutically known herbs in the traditional Indian system of medicine, the Ayurveda. In specific, its root is reported to be applied in the treatment of nervous exhaustion, insomnia, skin problems, and coughing. Scientific studies carried out in accordance to the modern system of medicine have shown that the plant extracts possess antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiulcer, analgesic, anti-stress, wound healing, hepatoprotective, cardioprotective, antidiabetic, and immunomodulatory effects. In addition, studies have shown that withaferin A, the principal phytochemical of Ashwagandha, exhibits activity against inflammation, apoptosis, invasiveness, and angiogenic effects in various cancer progression conditions. In this chapter, an attempt is made to summarize the antineoplastic effects of Ashwagandha and its principal phytochemical, withaferin A, in various cultured neoplastic cell lines and the mechanisms involved.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Molecular Oncomedicine Laboratory, Postgraduate Department of Studies and Research in Biotechnology, Sahyadri Science College, Shivamogga, Karnataka, India

    G. S. Pavan Kumar Achar & B. T. Prabhakar

  2. Mangalore Institute of Oncology, Mangalore, Karnataka, India

    Suresh Rao & Manjeshwar Shrinath Baliga

  3. Father Muller Medical College, Mangalore, Karnataka, India

    Thomas George, Soniya Abraham & Nicole Sequeira

Authors
  1. G. S. Pavan Kumar Achar
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  2. B. T. Prabhakar
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  3. Suresh Rao
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  4. Thomas George
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  5. Soniya Abraham
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  6. Nicole Sequeira
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  7. Manjeshwar Shrinath Baliga
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Botany, Gandhi Faiz-e-Aam College, Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India

    Mohd Sayeed Akhtar

  2. Department of Crop Science Faculty of Agriculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia

    Mallappa Kumara Swamy

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Pavan Kumar Achar, G.S. et al. (2018). Scientific Validation of the Usefulness of Withania somnifera Dunal in the Prevention and Treatment of Cancer. In: Akhtar, M., Swamy, M. (eds) Anticancer plants: Properties and Application. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-8548-2_12

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