Ashwagandharoot

An erect branching under shrub reaching about 150cm in height usually clothed with minutely stellate tomentum; leaves ovate upto 10cm; flowers greenish or lurid yellow in axillary facicles, fruits globose berries which ae orange coloured when mature enclosed in a persistent calyx. The fleshy roots when dry are cylindrical, gradually taperin down with a brownish white surface and pure white inside when broken. 

 

Roots contain several pyrazole alkaloids. Withasomnine and steroldal lactones, withaferin A and withanolides. They also contain starch, reducing sugars, hentriacontane, glycosides, dulcitol, withaniol, an acid and a neutral compound. Withaferin is a bacteriostatic and antitumerous agent.