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ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is often described as the Indian equivalent of ginseng -- the Chinese medicinal plant that has captured a huge chunk of the global market. Yet the Indian
herb is not a commercial success. One of the reasons for this is the lack of standards, which has led to a wide variation in the chemical composition of ashwagandha-based drugs. The
discrepancy, detected during a recent study, occurs in herbal products of even reputable companies. These drugs are portrayed as potent healers with a wide range of benefits like improving
memory, cognition, stamina, vigour and resistance to diseases, as well as relieving tension and depression. But experts feel that in view of the latest findings, a huge question mark hangs
on the efficacy of these medicines. The study was published in the February 2004 issue of Current Science , a journal brought out by the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. Entitled
'Phytochemical variability in commercial herbal products and preparations of Withania somnifera ', it was conducted by three institutes of the Council of Scientific and Industrial
Research (csir) -- the Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (cimap) and National Botanical Research Institute, both in Lucknow, and the Regional Research Laboratory in Jammu.
During the study, the amount of withaferin a -- one of the withanolides of ashwagandha -- was analysed in 10 products being sold in the market (see table: Under the scanner). Withanolides
are secondary chemicals produced by the plant. The scientists assumed withaferin a to be an indicator of the presence of ashwagandha. They found that the amount of the chemical per gramme of
ashwagandha varied from 100 per cent to merely 0.9 per cent. In nine of the products, the quantity was less than 50 per cent.