Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha — helps maintain mental balance and supports learning, memory and recall. 

What is ashwagandha?

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is a small shrub native to India and surrounding regions. Its root has been used in Ayurveda for thousands of years, where it became one of the tradition’s best-known restorative botanicals.

The root contains withanolides — naturally occurring plant compounds characteristic of ashwagandha—alongside many other molecules.

How does ashwagandha work?

Its relationship with GABA is particularly interesting. In laboratory research, an aqueous extract—an extract made using water—of ashwagandha root activated GABA-A receptors. 

GABA receptors are cellular structures that respond to GABA, one of the brain’s main regulatory neurotransmitters. Interestingly, researchers found that two well-known withanolides, withaferin A and withanolide A, did not explain this activity, suggesting other compounds in the root were responsible. [2] 

Why does SENTIA use ashwagandha?

SENTIA is built around The Science of a Good Time: using plant chemistry intelligently rather than simply borrowing botanical folklore. Ashwagandha brings both. It has centuries of traditional use behind it, alongside modern research into cognition, mental balance and GABA-related biology. 

Which SENTIA products contain ashwagandha?

• GABA Red GABA Red 
• GABA Black GABA Black 
• GABA Gold GABA Gold 
• SENTIA CASK SENTIA CASK 
• SENTIA Cider

Ashwagandha FAQs

- What part of ashwagandha does SENTIA use?
SENTIA uses ashwagandha root.

- What are withanolides?
Withanolides are naturally occurring compounds found in ashwagandha and closely related plants. 

- Does ashwagandha interact with GABA?
Laboratory research has found that compounds in aqueous ashwagandha root extract can interact with GABA receptors. [2] 

- Is ashwagandha an adaptogen? 
Yes. Ashwagandha is one of the best-known adaptogens and has been studied for its role in helping the body respond to periods of increased physical and mental demand. 

- Is ashwagandha a nootropic? 
It can also be described as a nootropic because research has explored its effects on memory, learning and cognitive performance, although it is more commonly known as an adaptogen. 

Sources

1. Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal — Modern perspectives of an ancient Rasayana from Ayurveda, 2020. 
2. Candelario et al. Direct evidence for GABAergic activity of Withania somnifera on mammalian ionotropic GABA-A and GABA-rho receptors, 2015. 
3. Pharmacokinetics and bioequivalence of Withania somnifera extracts, 2023.