Nature is boundless - we derive many of our daily necessities from nature, such as food, water and materials. Many available natural herbs and plants can be used for their medicinal benefits as well, with one noteworthy plant being Winter Cherry.
Winter Cherry, or as Indian Ginseng/Ashwagandha.
Winter Cherry, also known as Indian Ginseng or Ashwagandha, is a medicinal plant that has a long history of usage in Ayurveda, a system of natural healthcare that originated from India¹. Winter Cherry is used to treat a wide variety of common illnesses, such as asthma and diabetes². However, our focus today is on the usage of Winter Cherry in managing joint pain due to its powerful analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties.
Winter Cherry contains many natural compounds, but its major active compound is called Withaferin A. Most of the beneficial medicinal properties that Winter Cherry possesses are due to Withaferin A.
Analgesic Properties of Winter Cherry
Withaferin A can help to reduce pain experienced in the human body, but let's start by understanding why pain is felt in the first place.
When we suffer from injuries, specialized nerves in our body can detect the damage sustained and send signals to our brain. Once these signals are received by our brain, it triggers us to feel pain.
Withaferin A helps suppress the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines in our body, which suppresses the activation of COX-2 & reduces the pain we feel.
Our body also experiences inflammation as part of our immune system’s response to injury. This inflammation activates a substance called “pro-inflammatory cytokine” which then induces the activity of an enzyme called Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2)³.
The role of COX-2 enzymes in our body is to produce “prostaglandins”, a hormone-like substance that can promote pain and inflammation in the body. Therefore, to reduce the pain felt, we can either try to reduce the production of prostaglandins or to stop the pro-inflammatory cytokines, both of which can be achieved by Withaferin A in Winter Cherry.
Withaferin A has been shown to suppress the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines in our body⁴. This then suppresses the activation of COX-2, consequently reducing the production of prostaglandins and reducing the pain felt. Winter Cherry also soothes the nervous system from pain response thus, relieving us of pain⁵.
Anti-inflammatory Properties of Winter Cherry
Withaferin A suppresses the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines⁴. Thus, Withaferin A can reduce COX-2 activation, thereby reducing the production of prostaglandins which can promote inflammation.
Besides COX-2 and prostaglandins, oxidative stress can also lead to inflammation. Oxidative stress refers to an imbalance between antioxidants and Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) in the body. When there are too many ROS and too little antioxidants, ROS can cause cell and tissue damage. This oxidative stress can thus lead to inflammation as a response to the damage⁶.
What Winter Cherry does is to improve the body’s antioxidant status as it contains natural compounds with antioxidant activity⁷. The increase in antioxidants can then reduce oxidative stress, thereby helping to reduce inflammation.
Winter Cherry helps to improve the body’s antioxidant status.
Winter Cherry is amazing not just for the analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties it possesses, but also for its ability to work well with other medicinal plants to further enhance their useful health benefits. When combined with other ingredients like Indian Frankincense and Turmeric, these natural ingredients are able to confer great beneficial effects to improve & maintain joint health.
References
Disclaimer: This article is intended for informational or educational purposes only, and does not substitute professional medical advice or consultations with healthcare professionals. The disclaimer also provides that no warranties are given in relation to the medical information supplied in the article, and that no liability will accrue to Miraco Nutripharm Pte Ltd or any affiliated authors in the event that a user suffers any loss as a result of reliance upon the information.