Ashwagandha, commonly called as Indian Winter Cherry, is a plant of the Solanaceae family. It is widely cultivated for its medicinal properties.The medicinal plant is often compared to ginseng in chinese medicine. The plant’s origin is India and is found in waste lands. It is a short, erect,  woody, greyish shrub growing 35-75 cms tall. The leaves are dull green, flowers are greenish yellow in color and small & round in shape. Roots are stout, long tuberous, fleshy, whitish brown & aromatic. Many alkaloids are present in the roots of Ashwagandha, whereas, the leaves contain withanolides & other alkaloids such as somniferine, somnine, somniferinine. These phytochemicals possess therapeutic properties. In Ayurveda, Ashwagandha is called "Rasayana", which means powerful rejuvenator. It is best known as an adaptogen or a rejuvenative herb. Its Ayurvedic root powder is used in traditional herbal medicines. . Ayurvedic Ashwagandha powderhas adaptogenic, antiarthritic, antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory, nervine tonic, nerve soothing, sedative, hypotensive, antioxidant, immunomodulatory, free radical scavenging, anti-stress properties. 
 
Ayurvedic Significance:
	
Rasa (taste): Katu, Tikta, Kashaya (Pungent, Bitter, Astringent)
	
Veerya (nature): Ushna (Hot)
	
Vipaka (taste developed through digestion):Katu (Pungent)
	
Guna (qualities): Laghu, Snigdha (Light, Unctuous) 
	
Doshas (effect on humors): Balances all three doshas