ArticlePloS one2013
Water extract of Ashwagandha leaves has anticancer activity: identification of an active component and its mechanism of action.
Article in PloS one, 2013. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. An erratum has been issued. Cited by 27 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Who cites it
27 citing papers in PubMed, 87 citations in OpenAlex.
- Plant Part-Specific Differences in Ashwagandha (Food science & nutrition · 2026Review
- Potential Adverse Effects of Ashwagandha: A Critical Review of Preclinical and Clinical Evidence.Phytotherapy research : PTR · 2026Review
- Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) targets liver cancer stem cells via inhibiting Hedgehog signaling pathway in hepatocellular carcinoma.Medical oncology (Northwood, London, England) · 2026Article
- The Role of HSP90 and TRAP1 Targets on Treatment in Hepatocellular Carcinoma.Molecular biotechnology · 2025Review
- Molecular Characterization of Cancer Preventive and Therapeutic Potential of Three Antistress Compounds, Triethylene Glycol, Withanone, and Withaferin A.International journal of molecular sciences · 2025Article
- How Should the Worldwide Knowledge of Traditional Cancer Healing Be Integrated with Herbs and Mushrooms into Modern Molecular Pharmacology?Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland) · 2022Review
- Hidden in Plants-A Review of the Anticancer Potential of the Solanaceae Family in In Vitro and In Vivo Studies.Cancers · 2022Review
- Review
- Review
- Effect of Ashwagandha Withanolides on Muscle Cell Differentiation.Biomolecules · 2021Article
- Molecular dynamics simulations and experimental studies reveal differential permeability of withaferin-A and withanone across the model cell membrane.Scientific reports · 2021Article
- Super Critical Fluid Extracted Fatty Acids fromBiomolecules · 2020Article
- Review
- Folic Acid Receptor-Mediated Targeting Enhances the Cytotoxicity, Efficacy, and Selectivity ofFrontiers in oncology · 2019Article
- Antioxidant activity and apoptotic induction as mechanisms of action of Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha) against a hepatocellular carcinoma cell line.The Journal of international medical research · 2018Article
- Identification and Functional Characterization of Anti-metastasis and Anti-angiogenic Activities of Triethylene Glycol Derivatives.Frontiers in oncology · 2018Article
- Triethylene glycol, an active component of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) leaves, is responsible for sleep induction.PloS one · 2017Article
- Withania somnifera Suppresses Tumor Growth of Intracranial Allograft of Glioma Cells.Molecular neurobiology · 2016Article
- Withania somnifera: From prevention to treatment of cancer.Molecular nutrition & food research · 2016Review
- Novel Methods to Generate Active Ingredients-Enriched Ashwagandha Leaves and Extracts.PloS one · 2016Article
Corrections and comments
- Erratum issued
Authors and funding
9 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundCancer is a leading cause of death accounting for 15-20% of global mortality. Although advancements in diagnostic and therapeutic technologies have improved cancer survival statistics, 75% of the world population live in underdeveloped regions and have poor access to the advanced medical remedies. Natural therapies hence become an alternative choice of treatment. Ashwagandha, a tropical herb used in Indian Ayurvedic medicine, has a long history of its health promoting and therapeutic effects. In the present study, we have investigated an anticancer activity in the water extract of Ashwagandha leaves (ASH-WEX). METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL
findingsAnticancer activity in the water extract of Ashwagandha leaves (ASH-WEX) was detected by in vitro and in vivo assays. Bioactivity-based size fractionation and NMR analysis were performed to identify the active anticancer component(s). Mechanism of anticancer activity in the extract and its purified component was investigated by biochemical assays. We report that the ASH-WEX is cytotoxic to cancer cells selectively, and causes tumor suppression in vivo. Its active anticancer component was identified as triethylene glycol (TEG). Molecular analysis revealed activation of tumor suppressor proteins p53 and pRB by ASH-WEX and TEG in cancer cells. In contrast to the hypophosphorylation of pRB, decrease in cyclin B1 and increase in cyclin D1 in ASH-WEX and TEG-treated cancer cells (undergoing growth arrest), normal cells showed increase in pRB phosphorylation and cyclin B1, and decrease in cyclin D1 (signifying their cell cycle progression). We also found that the MMP-3 and MMP-9 that regulate metastasis were down regulated in ASH-WEX and TEG-treated cancer cells; normal cells remained unaffected.
conclusionWe provide the first molecular evidence that the ASH-WEX and TEG have selective cancer cell growth arrest activity and hence may offer natural and economic resources for anticancer medicine.
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