Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal: Phytochemistry, structure-activity relationship, and anticancer potential

Area of Science:

• Phytochemistry
• Pharmacology
• Traditional Medicine

Background:

• Ayurveda utilizes numerous plants for health preservation and disease mitigation.
• Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha), or Indian Ginseng, is a key Ayurvedic plant with diverse therapeutic effects.
• Its anticancer properties are of significant interest for modern medicine.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a comprehensive review of the anticancer effects of Withania somnifera.
• To elucidate the mechanistic actions of its bioactive phytocompounds, focusing on withanolides.
• To update information on clinical studies, safety, and chemical modification opportunities for withanolides.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review conducted following PRISMA guidelines.
• Literature search performed across major scientific databases (PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, Google Scholar) up to May 2021.
• Focus on studies detailing anticancer potential, mechanisms, and clinical attributes.

Main Results:

• Withania somnifera exhibits notable anticancer potential, driven by bioactive components like withanolides, withaferin A, and withanone.
• Structure-activity relationship (SAR) and toxicity evaluations of key compounds are presented.
• Clinical attributes and updated information on W. somnifera's role in cancer are detailed.

Conclusions:

• Withania somnifera demonstrates substantial promise for cancer therapy.
• Withanolides, especially withaferin A, show strong binding affinities, indicating potential as lead compounds for new drug development.
• Further rigorous clinical trials are essential to validate the therapeutic use of withanolides in cancer treatment.