TY - JOUR
T1 - ALSUntangled #74
T2 - Withania Somnifera (Ashwagandha)
AU - Jhooty, Sartaj
AU - Barkhaus, Paul
AU - Brown, Andrew
AU - Mascias Cadavid, Javier
AU - Carter, Gregory T.
AU - Crayle, Jesse
AU - Heiman-Patterson, Terry
AU - Li, Xiaoyan
AU - Mallon, Elise
AU - Mcdermott, Christopher
AU - Mushannen, Tasnim
AU - Pattee, Gary
AU - Ratner, Dylan
AU - Wicks, Paul
AU - Wiedau, Martina
AU - Bedlack, Richard
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 World Federation of Neurology on behalf of the Research Group on Motor Neuron Diseases.
PY - 2024
Y1 - 2024
N2 - ALSUntangled reviews alternative and off-label treatments on behalf of people with ALS (PALS) who ask about them. Here, we review withania somnifera (WS) commonly known as ashwagandha or winter cherry. WS has plausible mechanisms for slowing ALS progression because of its effects on inflammation, oxidative stress, autophagy, mitochondrial function, and apoptosis. Preclinical trials demonstrate that WS slows disease progression in multiple different animal models of ALS. Of the five individuals we found who described using WS for their ALS, two individuals reported moderate benefit while none reported experiencing any significant side effects. There is currently one clinical trial using WS to treat PALS; the results are not yet published. There are no serious side effects associated with WS and the associated cost of this treatment is low. Based on the above information, WS appears to us to be a good candidate for future ALS trials.
AB - ALSUntangled reviews alternative and off-label treatments on behalf of people with ALS (PALS) who ask about them. Here, we review withania somnifera (WS) commonly known as ashwagandha or winter cherry. WS has plausible mechanisms for slowing ALS progression because of its effects on inflammation, oxidative stress, autophagy, mitochondrial function, and apoptosis. Preclinical trials demonstrate that WS slows disease progression in multiple different animal models of ALS. Of the five individuals we found who described using WS for their ALS, two individuals reported moderate benefit while none reported experiencing any significant side effects. There is currently one clinical trial using WS to treat PALS; the results are not yet published. There are no serious side effects associated with WS and the associated cost of this treatment is low. Based on the above information, WS appears to us to be a good candidate for future ALS trials.
KW - Ashwagandha
KW - Winter cherry
KW - Withania somnifera
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85184427525&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/21678421.2024.2311721
DO - 10.1080/21678421.2024.2311721
M3 - Article
C2 - 38318860
AN - SCOPUS:85184427525
SN - 2167-8421
JO - Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Degeneration
JF - Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Degeneration
ER -