Withania somnifera Anhang

[Jörg Auf dem Hövel]

HanfBlatt, Nr. 65, April 2000

Ashwagandha, botanisch Withania somnifera, im Deutschen "Schlafbeere", englisch "Winter Cherry", ist ein bis zu eineinhalb Meter hoch wachsender Strauch aus der

Familie der Nachtschattengewächse mit auffallenden korallenroten Früchten, die an die leckeren Kapstachelbeeren erinnern, aber ungeniessbar sind. In der traditionellen indischen Kräuterheilkunde, der ayurvedischen Medizin, spielt Ashwagandha eine bedeutende Rolle. Ashwagandha gedeiht in Indien, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Afghanistan

und anderen asiatischen Ländern. Die Pflanze wächst wild in trockeneren Ödlandgebieten, wird aber auch angebaut. Sie findet sich auch in weiten Teilen Afrikas und

in Südeuropa. Wo sie gedeiht, wird sie in der Regel medizinisch genutzt, so zum Beispiel in dem momentan so angesagten Südafrika (auf Afrikaans "geneesblaarbossie"

genannt wird).

Schon die alten Ägypter schätzten die Pflanze. So soll sie beispielsweise in Girlanden, die die Mumie von Tutanchamun schmückten, nachgewiesen worden sein.

Bei der im alten Indien als Aphrodisiakum geltenden Wunderwurzel "jangida" soll es sich um Withania gehandelt haben. Im arabischen Raum war ihre narkotische Schlaf fördernde Wirkung bekannt. Der syrische Name "Sekran" bedeutet "Rauschmittel".

Traditionell werden die Blätter, die Wurzel und hiervon insbesondere die Wurzelrinde angewandt. In Indien gilt die getrocknete Ashwagandha-Wurzel als verjüngendes Tonikum, als Stimulans und Aphrodisiakum, auch als Narkotikum. Es wurde und wird bei zahlreichen Symptomatiken eingesetzt (rheumatischen Erkrankungen/ Ängstlichkeit/Nervosität/Schlafstörungen/Stress/

Rekonvaleszenz/Appetitlosigkeit/Immunschwäche/Alterungserscheinungen/seniler Debilität) ein Anwendungsfeld, das Gins. sehr ähnlich ist. Ashwagandha wurde deshalb auch als "Adaptogen" kategorisiert und "Indischer Ginseng" genannt. Auffallend ist auch eine gewisse harntreibende Wirkung. Zudem soll sie Blutdruck steigernd, Schleim reduzierend und antiasthmatisch wirken und positiven Einfluss auf die Verdauung nehmen. Aufgrund wahrscheinlicher antibakterieller Wirkungen wird das Wurzelpulver, häufiger allerdings noch die Blätter, traditionell äusserlich bei Schwellungen, Entzündungen und Geschwüren aufgetragen.

Als Hauptwirkstoffe hat man Steroidlactone vom Typ der Withanolide extrahiert.

Sehr preiswert lassen sich die Ashwagandha-Wurzeln in den Heimatländern der Pflanze, zum Beispiel in indischen Kräuterläden erwerben. Bei uns ist sie frei verkäuflich und bisweilen im ethnobotanischen Fachhandel erhältlich. In indischen Apotheken erhält man potente aber nicht unbedingt nach europäischen Maßstäben standardisierte Präparate, die konzentrierten Ashwagandha-Wurzelxtrakt enthalten, zum Beispiel "Dabur Ashwagandha Capsules" mit jeweils 300 mg Extrakt pro Kapsel.

Als therapeutische Dosierung werden 2 mal täglich 300 mg des Extraktes empfohlen. Wer jedoch auch psychisch eine Entspannung spüren möchte, die subjektiv an Baldrian, Kava-Kava und Ginseng erinnern mag, erhöht diese Dosis meistens. Als entspannendes, hingabe förderndes, sowie erektionsverlängerndes Aphrodisiakum werden in Indien 2 bis 4 Gramm des Wurzelpulvers mit Milch gekocht, eventuell mit Zucker, Honig und Langem Pfeffer (botanisch Piper longum) aufgepeppt oder einfach mit Butterschmalz vermengt eingenommen. Die Dosierungen bei Erkältung und Husten, bei Rheumatismus und bei "Genereller Debilität" liegen ebenfalls in diesem Bereich. Höhere Dosierungen gelten nicht als gefährlich, allenfalls als einschläfernd.

Die Einnahme von extrakthaltigen Kapseln ist am wirkungsvollsten. Es kann auch die feingemahlene Wurzel in Kapseln eingenommen werden. Aus der pulverisierten oder kleingehäkselten Wurzel lässt sich eine nicht besonders angenehm schmeckende Tee-Abkochung zubereiten, die sich allerdings mit Gewürzen, Süssungsmitteln etc. verfeinern lässt. Durch längeres Einlegen in hochwertigen Wodka lässt sich ein alkoholischer Auszug herstellen. Es ist möglich die Wurzel zu kauen, was auch gegen Zahnschmerzen helfen soll. Sie kann sogar geräuchert oder geraucht werden, eine traditionell zum Beispiel bei Asthma angewandte Methode.

Einen gewissen Ruf hat sich Ashwagandha unter Hanfliebhabern als rekreativ eingesetzter relaxender Wirkungsverstärker erworben. Der Wurzel werden Entspannung und Aphrodisie verstärkende Eigenschaften zugesprochen. Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zu diesem Themenkomplex stehen leider wie so oft noch aus. Ob sich die in ihren Heimatländern hochangesehene und als weitgehend unbedenklich geltende Wurzel bei uns als Heil- oder gar softes Genussmittel etablieren wird, bleibt abzuwarten.

[Marisa Laidlaw]

ABSTRACT

Introduction

The purpose of this study was to conduct a homoeopathic proving of Withania somnifera in the 30^th centesimal potency [30CH], thereafter to determine and report the symptomatology in standard materia medica and repertory format, and then compare this symptomatology to the indigenous African and Ayurvedic medicinal usage of Withania somnifera.

Methodology

The homoeopathic drug proving of Withania somnifera 30CH was conducted as a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial at the Durban University of Technology.

The intervention, Withania somnifera 30CH, was manufactured according to methods 6, 8a and 10 of the German Homoeopathic Pharmacopoeia [GHP] (Driehsen, 2003).

Proving blind with thirty healthy subjects were the provers.

The proving of produced a total of 282 rubrics, five newly formulated rubrics. There were 184 Grade 1 rubrics, 98 Grade 2 rubrics

and 0 Grade 3 rubrics. The majority of rubrics were represented in the MIND,

DREAMS, HEAD and GENERALS sections of the repertory.

Analysis of results provided insight into the similarities and differences between indigenous African and Ayurvedic medicinal usage of Withania somnifera and the relationship to other homoeopathic medicines.

Conclusion

Clearly observable symptomatology was produced by healthy provers in response to the administration of Withania somnifera 30CH. In addition, there was significant correlation between the proving symptomatology and the indigenous African and Ayurvedic medicinal usage of Withania somnifera.

Jan Scholten (2013:727) recorded the following case which he had treated with Withania somnifera

MK [Korsakovian method of potentisation]:

Man, 45, hyperventilation. His respiration is less when he is stressed, it feels as if he has to regulate it himself. He has apnoea attacks and is snoring a lot. He has extra heart beats and hypertension.

The problems started after a robbery at his company. He is afraid they will come back, afraid of the confrontation. He is quite emotional, can be angry easily.

He has started several companies that he has made successful in a few years. He works long hours for them.

Follow up: After Withania MK his quality of life went up from 40 to 80.

The physical symptoms of hyperventilation, sleep apnoea, snoring, extra heart beats and hypertension did not arise during the proving of Withania somnifera.

Miasmatic Classification of Withania somnifera

The features of the Cancerinic miasm are: control, perfection, fastidious, stretching beyond one’s capacity, superhuman, chaos, order, loss of control, and self-control (Sankaran, 1997:7).

Withania somnifera fits perfectly into this miasm because the control and superhuman effort were constant features throughout the proving.

The most important feature described as adaptation to a chaotic, overwhelming situation in an attempt to control and manage the situation’ was present in the proving (Sankaran, 1997:7).

During the proving of Withania somnifera, provers attempted to transform or control their external situation

Provers 8, 24, 26 and 28 became preoccupied with cleaning and organising their immediate space around them, which is controlling behaviour characteristic of the

Cancer miasm. Provers persevered through situations, that they did not have the resources for, despite feeling completely overwhelmed. and exhausted.

Themes of the feeling of containing a fixed weakness (Sankaran, 2005a:10) were present in the dreams of provers.

Prover 11 dreamt of a friend who was trying to fix up a broken building to inhabit, not having transport to get back to town: and Prover 8 dreamt of the frustration of

not having medical supplies to perform an operation. The theme of inadequacy and making a superhuman attempt to function despite the inherent disadvantage is a Cancer theme (Sankaran, 2005a:10).

During the proving of Withania somnifera, provers were cut off emotionally from events that would normally be traumatic or stressful as an adaptive mechanism to cope

with severe stress. This controlling adaptation process of trying to maintain control in a situation that others would normally break down in is a Cancerinic adaptive process. Consequently, the fear of chaos was represented in the theme of rapid destruction of the body (Sankaran, 2005a:10) in the dream states of provers.

The following three dreams are beautiful illustrations of the Cancerinic miasm. In each different scenario, the threat transforms to become even more of a threat.

The prover did not have the resources to escape from the threat despite the superhuman effort to stay alive:

Dream: I dreamt I was in an alpine forest place, lots of snow living a kind of farm life. Out in the forest on a steep-deep-snow covered hill a wolf started to circle me and wanted to attack.

I started to panic it bit my arm and it wasn’t too bad. At this point I realised that I could defend myself and scare him off. But more arrived a small pack of beautiful grey wolves. All of them circled me, walking around in their own separated circles. I know that I had to defend my life right here and now. What threw me off was the beauty

of the wolves & the landscape that seemed to magnify their beauty. I screamed as the wolf lunged another attack. [My boyfriend] came running out and shot one of the wolves. He saved my life, he was there at that critical time.

I had to fight off the rest of the pack but, I didn’t want to kill them but, I had too. I remember being shown how to break the wolf’s neck which I did. I felt bad because

he was so beautiful, icy eyes, fur and greyness. It was a truly beautiful and powerful dream. - - - -

Dream: Having a wedding at a venue that is joined to a haunted hotel. We were told not to walk down that particular passage that enters the hotel. My father laughed &

took a group of us there.

The passage then began to physically expand into a room - a witch emerged. She looked human - but was scary - she only wanted me. I begged to take my son out of the hotel - she made me eat a banana so that I could leave the hotel & she’d let me go in peace. When I got out the building & my son was safe, I heard all my family tell me I have to go back into the building with a banana peel

- that’s the only way she won’t track me & follow me. I told this to my husband in frantic attempt to escape. He began making jokes and saying nothing will happen.

The more jokes he made, the more scared I became. He ended up being possessed - he wrapped me in a blanket & I woke up just as we re-entered the Hotel. - - - -

Dream: I was in a forest, searching for something. I don’t know what it was, and suddenly I saw a huge snake, I tried to keepmyself calm, but the snake was still looking

at me, and started coming towards me. So I started walking away. The faster I walked, the faster it was getting closer to me. I started running and it ran faster than I and

past me. As soon as I turned my head to see in front of me it wasn’t there anymore. I saw one guy sitting on the side, I asked him: “Did you see that huge snake?”

“No!” he said. I said to him I was really afraid. He said, I mustn’t be. So we started talking and he just pointed his finger to a certain direction and said to me to look.

I saw a bigger snake. That snake was in a stage of a metamorphosis and was changing in a Komodo Dragon” . - - - -

Comparison to the Ayurvedic Medicinal Usage of Withania somnifera

In Ayurvedic medicine, Withania somnifera is regarded as a ‘rayasana’ herb (Bhattacharya and Muruganandam, 2003:547), indicating that it strengthens and rejuvenates

the system by increasing the resistance to stressors and revitalising in conditions of weakness, fatigue and debilitation (American Herbal Pharmacopoeia, 2000; Chevallier, 2007:249).

It is said to provide fresh energy and vigour for a system worn out by any constitutional disease (Kapoor, 1990:337). A major theme that 201 emerged from the proving

of Withania somnifera was the theme of ‘stress’, because of a decreased resistance to stressors in the environment. Provers were vulnerable to feeling drained by people

and situations and preferred to be alone or away from stressful stimuli. The fixed control of boundaries was therefore an attempt at conserving their limited energy resources, which were described as fatigue, tiredness, exhaustion, low energy, and a feeling of being drained.

Withania somnifera reputedly imparts endurance (Williamson, 2002:321).

Provers persevered through stressful situations despite reporting a lack of available resources and energy. The researcher believes this to be a maladaptive response to societal pressure placed on the individual to be ‘successful’. In the Ayurvedic system, Withania is also regarded as a ‘medharasayan’ or promoter of learning, attention and memory retrieval (Singh et al., 2011:209;

Van Wyk and Gericke, 2000:150). During the proving of Withania somnifera, provers became absentminded and distracted, finding it difficult to concentrate or think.

This lack of “focus” was also described as “zoned out”, “like a haze” and “fuzzy headed”. Provers’ short-term memory deteriorated and they made mistakes in writing, spelling and grammar.

Other provers experienced an improvement in cognitive function. The duality of symptomatology reported indicates that some provers experienced a curative action, whereas other provers experienced true proving symptomatology.

Ashwagandha is used to calm the mind and is one of the most widespread tranquillizers used in India (Singhet al, 2010:58). During the proving of Withania somnifera, provers reported calm and detatched states during situations they previously perceived as being stressful. This could be attributed to the adaptogenic ability of Withania somnifera to relieve weakness and nervous exhaustion through a gentle sedative action (Chevallier, 2007: 249).

The parasympathetic state induced in the proving of Withania somnifera allowed provers the focus and mental clarity to start paying attention to small details in their surroundings, as seen in provers.

On the other end of the spectrum, there was well-represented anxiety in the proving of Withania somnifera.

The use of Withania somnifera as a mood stabilizer in anxiety and depression in Ayurveda (Battacharya et al, 2000:464) was evidenced by the fluctuating mood and energy levels of provers during the proving.

Provers were represented in the rubric MIND – SADNESS:

Prover 16 wrote the seemingly contradictory journal entry: “I’m just tired. Yet always in a hype”, which for the researcher was an accurate summation of the effects

of chronic overstimulation of the sympathetic nervous system.

Withania somnifera has been shown to downregulate neuronal activity which produces a calming effect and helps to uplift mood and reduce anxiety (Singh et al, 2010:58).

Withania somnifera is indicated to promote restful sleep, improve sleep patterns, responsiveness, alertness and state of awareness (American Herbal Pharmacopoeia, 2000; Singh et al., 2011:209). As discussed in the comparison to African traditional indications, sleep patterns were deranged. Provers were unable to sleep at night and during the day they were exhausted and sleepy.

Withania somnifera is used as a carminative (Williamson, 2002:321). During the proving, provers experienced many gastrointestinal complaints, including nausea, stomach pain, abdominal bloating, and diarrhoea with cramping.

Withania balances immune function (Chevallier, 2007:249), stimulates the activation of immune cells (Singh et al, 2010:58), and is used as a treatment for colds and pyrexia (Williamson, 2002:321).

Provers experienced hypersensitivity reactions that indicate a hyper reactive immune system in the form of seasonal rhinitis.

Examples of seasonal rhinitis symptomatology experienced include allergic eye symptoms, nasal sinusitis symptoms, an itching throat and dull headaches.

Provers also reported nasal congestion, a running nose, sneezing and sore throat and complaining of cold symptoms and fever states.

Withania somnifera is used as an anti-asthmatic (Williamson, 2002:321). There was no true asthmatic symptomatology during the proving except for the dry cough experienced by Prover 28 which was worse for exercise and on inspiration.

Prover 21 experienced asthmatic symptoms, but the symptoms were excluded on the basis that it formed part of his baseline function.

Withania somnifera is used in Ayurveda in the reproductive system to treat erectile dysfunction (Chevallier, 2007:249) and build sexual energy (Singh et al, 2010:58).

Prover 21 experienced no erection on waking, however the researcher believes that this was an under-discussed area in the other prover journals because of discomfort with disclosure.

Also during the proving process, sexual desire was either diminished or increased in both sexes.

At the post-proving meeting, provers were more willing to talk about changes in their sexual energy, but again, did not wish for the information to be made public.

A paste made from the root of Withania somnifera is applied topically for glandular swellings and carbuncles (Kapoor, 1990:337). Provers experienced skin inflammations below the testes, under the armpit, and at the occiput that were painful to touch.

Proposed Clinical Indications of Withania somnifera

In the proving of Withania somnifera 30CH a wide range of symptoms arose that correlate with the symptoms of clinical conditions.

As a result Withania somnifera may be applied clinically in the homoeopathic management of the following conditions:

Back aches and headaches;

Insomnia and sleep disorders

Excessive fatigue syndromes like burn out syndrome, chronic fatigue syndrome and adrenal fatigue syndrome;

Decreased immunity to seasonal infections and seasonal rhinitis;

Dysglycemia and Diabetes mellitus;

Sexual dysfunction in males and females;

Irritable bowel syndrome, nausea, heartburn, abdominal cramps and diarrhoea;

Generalised anxiety disorder and other disorders associated with anxiety, panic, paranoia and depression;

Co-dependency and addictive behaviours.

It is recommended that further studies are conducted to ascertain the efficacy and effectiveness of Withania somnifera 30CH in the management of the above mentioned conditions.

Conclusion and Recommendations

6.1 Conclusion

As hypothesised, there was a transient, observable change in the state of health of the proving volunteers in response to the administration of Withania somnifera in the C30^th [30CH].

The symptoms gathered were also comprehensive enough to develop a complete materia medica and repertory for Withania somnifera.

In addition, the totality of symptoms produced were comparable to the indigenous African and Ayurvedic medicinal usage of Withania somnifera.

Thereafter, a comparison should be drawn between Withania somnifera and at least 5 remedies with repertorial similarity with respect to the highest numerical value and total

number of rubrics present.

The methodology utilised in this study was in accordance with the recommended methodology set out by Jeremy Sherr in “Dynamics and Methodology of Homoeopathic Provings”.

(1994). In May 2014, the Liga Medicorum Homoeopathica Internationalis and the European Committee for Homeopathy published a harmonised set of guidelines for proving methodology

(Jansen and Ross, 2014). The researcher 209 recommends that all future provings at DUT utilise the Harmonised Provings Guidelines.

Researcher’s Conclusion

Withania somnifera has been widely used in traditional medicinal systems since ancient times. Surprisingly no proving has ever been conducted on this important medicinal plant.

The proving of Withania somnifera provided the opportunity for the birth of a much needed homoeopathic substance. It revealed a deeper understanding of Withania somnifera

which highlights the traditional medicinal usage and will allow for it to be prescribed clinically in the homoeopathic context.

The researcher believes that the anti-carcinogenic, immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory activity of Withania somnifera will benefit patients with chronic diseases of modern times who have not previously found relief from their disease.

The researcher believes that provers who participated in the proving were attracted in a synchronous way in order to learn about themselves. Adaptation with the absence of transformation is an inappropriate and incomplete response to a stressful situation, and the researcher believes that Withania has the ability to teach the organism adaptation with resultant transformation.

On a personal level, the researcher was provided the opportunity to learn the importance of how boundaries affect energy transfer between people.

Repertory:

COMPANY - aversion to

CONCENTRATION – active/difficult (writing)

CONFIDENCE - want of self confidence (and feeling of inadequacy)

DANCING

DELUSIONS - being alone/of internal emptiness/sick/persecuted/people are draining his energy

DETATCHED

DULLNESS

EXERTION – aversion to physical/> physical/desires in open air

FEAR - something will happen/of failure

FORGETFUL

HELPLESSNESS; feeling of

HOMESICKNESS

IMPATIENCE

INDIFFERENCE

INDIGNATION

INDUSTRIOUS

INJUSTICE; cannot support

INTROSPECTION

IRRITABILITY

LAZINESS

MENSES - at beginning of menses

OBSERVER - detail, of everything in

OPTIMISTIC

ORDER - desire

PANIC - followed by sexual arousal

PERSEVERANCE

REPROACHING – ONESELF/OTHERS

SADNESS - causeless (with weeping)

SENSITIVE - to criticism/to all external impressions

SENTIMENTAL

SPACED OUT FEELING

STARTING easily

STUPEFACTION

TACITURN in company

THEORISING

TRANQUILLITY (in a stressful situation)

PHYSICALS: Rubrics and Grading

VERTIGO: in general

DIZZY

After EATING >

SPINNING

HEAD: PAIN - coffee >/<

PAIN – dehydration/dull/eating >/exertion >/from light/by mental exertion/< motion of head/< strong odors/piercing/pressing/> hard pressure/pulsating/< rising from lying/

< sleep/from exposure to sun/in forehead/in occiput/in l. side/temporal

SENSITIVE scalp

TINGLING

EYE: BURNING

DISCOLOURED red

DRY

ITCHING

PAIN (must close the eyes/< from light/after sleep/< touch/washing > burning)

VISION: BLURRED

EAR: rumbling

NOSE: CATARRH - < in open air/postnasal

CONGESTION

CORYZA - with discharge/> in daytime/> exercise

OBSTRUCTION > exertion

SMELL - acute

SNEEZING

FACE: CRAMP

ERUPTIONS - pimples on nose/ symmetrical on forehead/cheeks

FORMIFICATION

ITCHING - chin

PAIN in jaw

PICKING

TWITCHING – r.

MOUTH: BITING of lower lip

BLEEDING of gums

NUMBNESS of tongue

SALIVATION - < during sleep

TASTE - illusions

TEETH: PAIN - at night/< chewing/dull/pulsating

THROAT: GAGGING

ITCHING

LUMP; sensation of a

PAIN (morning/evening/< breathing/burning/> drinking/> exercise/”As if raw”/< swallowing)

“As if swollen”

STOMACH: APPETITE - capricious/diminished/increased (morning on waking)

NAUSEA (> eating/burning/cramping/disappearing quickly/< after eating)

THIRST (for large quantities)

ABDOMEN: DISTENTION

PAIN - cramping/l. hypochondria

RECTUM: DIARRHOEA (foul/painless)

FLATUS (during diarrhoea/smelly)

STOOL: CLAYISH/THIN

BLADDER: PAIN – burning/before urination/(urging) frequent

URINE: SCANTY less than drinks

MALE GENITALIA/SEX ERECTIONS - wanting on waking

SEXUAL DESIRE - diminished/increased

FEMALE GENITALIA/SEX LEUKORRHEA - white

MENSES - copious/too early/too late/protracted return after the regular menstrual cycle has ceased/too short

PAIN (cramping)

SEXUAL DESIRE - diminished/increased (after panic)

LARYNX AND TRACHEA:

INFLAMMATION in larynx

COUGH: > DAYTIME

DRY

< EXERTION

INSPIRATION

CHEST: PAIN - sore mammae/pectoral muscles bruised/in sides/in sternum

BACK: PAIN - cervical/dorsal/lumbar

Limbs: PAIN - arm/hand/leg/knee/feet/hips/shoulder/nates

SENSITIVE

THRILLING sensation

SLEEP: DECREASED/DEEP/DISTURBED by dreams/FALLING ASLEEP (difficult/easy)/PROLONGED/RESTLESS (with anxiety)

SLEEPINESS

UNREFRESHING

WAKING - to get breath/difficult in morning/too early/easy/sudden

YAWNING during weariness

DREAMS: AMOROUS/ANGER/being BUSY/being CHASED/COLOURED/DANGER/DIFFICULTIES (on journeys)/DISEASE/long past EVENTS/FIGHTS/

being HELPLESS/INVADERS/MANY/NAKED PEOPLE/PARTIES/RUINS/SNAKES/TEETH/TRAUMATIC/TRAVELLING/UNSUCCESSFUL EFFORTS/

VOICE of absent persons/WORK/

PERSPIRATION: /smells sour/CLAMMY/PROFUSE/during SLEEP/

SKIN: INFLAMMATION/DRY/ECZEMA

GENERALS: MORNING (and evening/on waking)

COLD - feeling/heat and cold

DEHYDRATION

ENERGY excess

EXERTION - physical >/</desire for

FOOD AND DRINKS:

Desires: coffee/farinaceous food/hearty food;

>/<: coffee;

Aversion to: sweets;

HEAT - sensation of

HYPOGLYCAEMIA

LASSITUDE

MENSES - < during

TINGLING

CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION OF THE RESULTS

5.1 Introduction

This chapter contains a discussion of prominent symptoms and themes arising from the proving of Withania somnifera 30CH.

Resultant symptomatology was compared to Ayurvedic and African traditional medicinal indications of Withania somnifera.

A narrative approach to the discussion of totality of symptoms was taken. Sherr (1994:32) emphasises the totality of symptoms to considered “As if one person”, and

therefore the researcher referenced the proving of Withania somnifera 30CH “As if one person”. The chapter endeavours to unite the individual symptomotology into

a comprehensive, integrated symptom picture of Withania somnifera, which is therefore useful for future clinical indications.

[Stephen Nile]

The shrub Withiana Somnifera (Ashwaganda) is a member of the Solanaceae Family. Its Sanskrit name, which can be translated as 'smell of a horse' is meant to imply

that it gives the stamina and virility of a horse.

In Vedic mythology the Ashwins were athletic horsemen and lords of healing...

Bring into creation, my tireless meditations that ask for wealth, Shining Ashwins.

Grant us high spirits in battle, and with your Shaktis (Powers), Lords of Shakti, assist us.

Rig Veda, VII.67.5

Fierce Ashwins, like two poweful heros, you enable this moving, perishable mortal frame to cross over to the objects of its destination as over water; extremely strong,

like the Ribhus, your chariot attained its destination swift as the wind, it pervaded, it dispensed riches.

Rig Veda, X.9.7

The Aswins can also be a reference to the healing effect of balancing Vata on the other doshas, Kapha and Pitta. It is a traditional Ayurvedic remedy for Vata types

who suffer hurriedness, anxiety and insomnia.

It is particularly useful for mental/emotional debility and as its name suggests, is reputed to help with sexual debility too.

Affinity for the nervous, respiratory and reproductive spheres.

It is sometimes considered a cheap substitute for Ginseng.

Ayurvedic properties are:

Rasas:

bitter (ether + air => light, drying and cooling)

astringent (earth + air => heavy and drying)

Virya:

heating (It can increase pitta and hence provoke Ama (toxins), e.g. gout).

The overall effect is > vata and kapha symptoms.

Herbal preparation, Ashwagandha root extract, from Solgar.

Capsules of Powdered root extract 400mg

Mon 17 Oct

Took the capsule in the morning and forgot about it. Went to bed as usual. Experience a very deep dreamless sleep, like being in a dark, comfortable abyss for most of the night. At some point I had a sexual dream. Woke quite early, around 8:30 h., feeling refreshed.

As the morning wore on I began to feel rather dozy, and eventually just had to get back to bed. Slept 2hrs but had an extremely erotic dream - which was remarkable in being more than unusual for me! The rest of the afternoon I felt quite dozy and could easily have gone back to bed. This wore off and I began to feel quite alert and 'on the ball'.

I remember thinking, "This is what entering Kapha Dosha is all about - deep, calm, peaceful".

In the evening I felt a quantum shift in my perception of others. My partner seemed much softer and I felt less intimidated than usual. The second night, almost the same deep, comfortable sleep but waking once of twice (not remarkable for me). Dropped of to sleep easily again.

Tues 18 Oct

Soon felt energised after waking. I felt different though, a comfortable calmness pervaded. I didnt feel like doing my usual 'thing' - it seems pointless and trivial. I resolved to get started on an article for the local paper that I'v been putting off for ages. Didnt quite get round to it but fresh ideas started to flow and the new resolve to get on with it was still there - a bit daunting but also exciting.

I felt quite powerful (curative). I also felt quite calm and comfortable in "Shopping City", I usually just mind my business there, and hurry round; its a sterile, shabby,

70s complex that not many people really like.

The usual 'Vata' feeling that I need to hurry had gone, I just enjoyed being there. Good sense of self.

Wed 19 Oct

Sleep not quite as deep but still good. Its obviously wearing off a bit. Woke early and refreshed (I often wake too early, feeling quite heavy). I felt a bit anxious, 'I'm a bit stuck, I need to get on with my life, try something new'.

Sort of vascillating between feelings of great resolve, "I can do anything", and procrastination, "No, don't stick your head above the parapit". I guess that feeling has settled somewhere in the middle. The calmness remains.

Thurs 20 Oct

The remedy effects seems to have settled. Still in touch with that calmness and creativity.

Themes

Deep restful sleep

Daytime sleepiness

Erotica and romance

Creativity and freshness

Calmness

Patience

Power and Resolve

Homeopathic Proving

If you would like to take part in a proving of Withiana 30c, run up on a Sulis Remedy Maker, please contact me at herukanile@gmail.com. I shall be asking for small donation to cover the remedy and admin. My objective is to gather enough data on this remedy to send a proposal to those UK Homeopathy Schools who do have sufficient resources to do a full Proving.

Preliminary Trial

Prior to the proving I will post a one week diary giving a day by day account of the effects of Withiana 30c. Hopefully this will help you evaluate its suitability.

This proving is unusual in that we already know Withiana is suited to Vata complaints. A form to help determine your predominant doshas will be available.

Thurs 20 Oct Homeopathic Dose 30c x1

I took the dose in the late afternoon. I soon felt a glowing wave of calmness, and then quickly felt rather sleepy and slightly irritable over trifles. Went for a nap, which was so deep that I wondered if I was going to ever wake - witnessing and thinking this whilst at the deepest level of sleep. I did, after an hour or so and woke up feeling so refreshed!

During the rest of the day and evening a happy glow grew and grew. At bedtime I knew I wasn’t really in need of sleep. The feeling was 'glowing calmness'. If I had been alone I would'v just meditated all night. I did sleep, however, but rather lightly. A pleasant experience, but towards dawn I had a strange dream about someone breaking in ... I was chasing after them.

This morning I feel happy and up for anything! Wonderfull.

My husband took a dose just before bedtime and had a really beautiful nights sleep.

Vorwort/Suchen Zeichen/Abkürzungen Impressum