Ayurvedic medicine focuses on maintaining a balanced mind and body. This requires a healthy diet, low stress and exercise. When the body becomes out of balance, various herbal remedies are prescribed to bring the body back into a healthy balance. Ashwagandha, also known by the names Indian ginseng and Wild Cherry, has been used in Ayurvedic practice for thousands of years as a "rasayana" or "life path" herb to restore healthy balance throughout the body.

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Ashwagandha can be found growing as a wild shrub in Africa, the Mediterranean and India. The ashwagandha root is most prized in the creation of healing teas and extracts. The shrub is a member of the tomato family, and like tomato plants ashwagandha sports small yellow leaves and bears red fruit. However, unlike tomatoes Ashwagandha fruit are small and berry-like.

Ashwagandha Extraction

In Sanskrit (the ancient language of India) ashwagandha translates as "horse's smell," which is believed to refer to the ashwagandha root that smells something like sweaty horses. In the past, the root was first boiled in milk to remove any impurities, and then was dried before being mashed into a paste. Modern methods of extraction produce a much more consistently concentrated and pure ashwagandha extract.

At Tattva's Herbs, more than 200 pounds of fresh ashwagandha root are used to extract about 1 pound of supercritical extract. All of the ashwagandha roots used are organically grown to ensure that no impurities enter the extract, and no chemicals are used in the extraction process. Once extraction is complete, the solution is tested for heavy metals.

Ashwagandha Supercritical Extract Formulation

Tattva's Herbs' supercritical ashwagandha extract contains a 50 percent concentration of ashwagandha root (the highest concentration available). Each capsule contains 500 mg of ashwagandha herbal supplement to ensure an even and consistent dosage. The list below details a few of the most important aspects of ashwagandha supercritical extract capsules.

• No animal products are used (in accordance with Ayurvedic tradition, ashwagandha capsules are suitable for vegetarians)
• Certified kosher (extract is guaranteed to be kosher and was blessed in accordance with kosher labeling regulations)
• No synthetic additives used (besides organic herbs, only aerated silica and vegetable cellulose make up the capsules)
• Organic (all herbs were grown and harvested using ecologically friendly and sustainable farming techniques)
• Pesticide free (only herbs raise without commercial pesticides are acceptable)
• Processed without the use of chemicals (instead, carbon dioxide like that put into sparkling water is used to ensure purity)
• 60 count and 120 count bottles are available

Ashwagandha Active Constituents

While ashwagandha has been used for thousands of years in Ayurvedic healing, until relatively recently Western medical science was unsure how ashwagandha root achieved such success. Now, science has isolated several active constituents that are responsible for Withania somnifera's medicinal properties. So far, 12 alkaloids and 35 steroidal alctones have been isolated in the ashwagandha root.

Alkaloids such as anaferine, anahygrine, cuscohygrine, iron pseudotropine, scopoletin, somniferinine, tropanal and withanine found in ashwagandha impart pain relieving and antiseptic properties to the plant. Steroidal alctones such as withanolides (withaferin A and withanolide D in particular) are believed to work as hormone precursors to aid in the production of hormones when levels drop. Functionally, it is believed that the plant hormone precursors can also serve to block the function of excess hormones from exerting an effect on the body.

Ashwagandha Dosages and Warnings

Ashwagandha dosages for adults are set at one to two 300 to 500 mg capsules per day. Capsules should contain ashwagandha extract made with approximately 35 mg of withanaloids for the most beneficial results. Studies have not found any irritating side effects with the use of ashwagandha at normal dosages.

However, when taken in dosages larger than those recommended by your doctor, gastrointestinal problems can result. These have been observed to be limited to diarrhea and vomiting. There has been some evidence that ashwagandha may accentuate the effect of chemical barbiturates, so you should tell your doctor that you take herbal ashwagandha supplements if he prescribes barbiturates for you.