Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Nov 25, 2025 2 hours, 27 minutes ago
Medical News: Ancient Herb with Modern Potential
A new scientific review is shedding light on how compounds found in the ancient Indian medicinal plant ashwagandha may offer promising new approaches for treating some of the most aggressive brain cancers, including glioblastoma. The research was led by experts from the Neuro-Oncology Center and Brain Tumor Institute at University Hospitals of Cleveland Medical Center, and the Molecular Oncology Program at Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine.
Ashwagandha Compounds Show New Promise Against Deadly Brain Tumors
Ashwagandha (Withania Somnifera) used in Ayurveda, contains powerful phytochemicals—known as withanolides—that have shown strong anti-cancer activity in laboratory studies. These include withaferin A, withanone, and withanolide A, which together form a complex network of biological effects. According to the new study review covered in this
Medical News report, these compounds interfere with cancer cell growth, limit their ability to spread, and can trigger the self-destruction of malignant cells.
How Ashwagandha Compounds Attack Cancer
The key withanolide, withaferin A, has been widely tested on cancer cells. It works by disrupting multiple pathways inside tumors, including inflammation signals, growth receptors, and survival mechanisms. In brain tumor studies, researchers observed that withaferin A could halt the cell cycle at critical checkpoints, reduce the activity of cancer-promoting proteins such as Akt and mTOR, and boost oxidative stress inside tumor cells, making them more vulnerable to death.
The review describes how withaferin A also lowers levels of EGFR and c-MET—proteins commonly overexpressed in glioblastoma—and increases pro-apoptotic markers such as p53 and Bax. Remarkably, tests on temozolomide-resistant glioma cells showed that withaferin A can decrease the levels of MGMT, a resistance-linked enzyme, making standard chemotherapy more effective.
Other Withanolides Show Complementary Effects
The analysis also highlights how withanone and withanolide A contribute their own anti-tumor actions. Withanone appears to interfere with cancer cell division by disrupting the TPX2-Aurora A complex, a structure essential for mitosis. It also helps reactivate p53 by preventing its sequestration. Withanolide A, meanwhile, inhibits glioma cell proliferation and encourages a shift toward a more senescent, less invasive state.
Conclusion
The research suggests that ashwagandha contains multiple natural compounds capable of striking cancer through several biological pathways at once, something modern single-target drugs rarely achieve. While these findings remain preclinical, they offer a compelling foundation for future animal studies and early-stage clinical trials. If validated, ashwagandha-derived molecules could one day become part of new treatment strategies for deadly brain tumors, providing safer and more effective options for patients. Continued i
nvestigation into dosage, bioavailability, delivery methods, and long-term safety will be critical as this promising field advances.
The study findings were published in the peer reviewed journal: Molecules.
https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/30/21/4272
For the latest on Herbs and Phytochemicals and also on Glioblastoma, keep on logging to Thailand
Medical News.
Read Also:
https://www.thailandmedical.news/articles/herbs-and-phytochemicals
https://www.thailandmedical.news/articles/cancer
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