Therapeutic Uses and Pharmacological Properties of the Traditional South Asian Medicinal Plant Withania coagulans (Stocks) Dunal

Introduction

Withania coagulans (also known as Indian ginseng) is a medicinal plant traditionally used for purposes such as purification of blood, eradication of muscle wasting, prevention of failure to thrive in children, management of insomnia and exhaustion, and treatment of liver failure and diabetes mellitus. Despite increasing interest in these applications, a holistic overview of its medicinal value is lacking, and the underlying pharmacological basis remains to be examined.

Methods

This study dissected extensive phytochemical and pharmacological information collected from international databases as well as local literature. Keywords related to medicinal uses, chemical compositions, and biological activities of W. coagulans were used for the bibliography search. Data were collected primarily from the last decade and used to build a systematic framework of its therapeutic potentials.

Results

To highlight the therapeutic significance of W. coagulans, an evidence-based framework of biological activities is built to delineate its pharmacological properties, which are cross-checked against its medicinal uses and phytochemical constituents. In particular, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antimicrobial, anticancer, antidiabetic, antihyperlipidemic, neuroprotective, cardioprotective, nephroprotective, hepatoprotective, reproductive system regulatory, and anthelmintic activities are outlined with emphasis on their therapeutic relevance to the plant. Several bioactive compounds, including withanolides (steroidal lactones), are identified as likely contributors to these activities, thereby supporting its medicinal value.

Conclusions

The bioactivity framework built for W. coagulans, along with the critical interpretations of its phytochemical and pharmacological information in this study, provides a solid basis for its medicinal applications and offers insight into next phase of experimental and therapeutic discoveries.