Withania Berries, An Oneirogen?

[Auxin]

I know using Withania somnifera berries is fairly new, except perhaps in some obscure corners of india, but I'm curious if anyone can confirm or refute my observation that they seem to increase intensity and vividness of dreams?

This one caught me by surprise since I've never noticed a similar effect from the root bark but for 7 days straight I used 4-5 berries per day and the night following every one of those days gave me abnormally strong dreams

At the time I was perfectly healthy, just trying to prevent getting sick from the cold while people were coughing it all over me. The only other drug I used was a mix of burdock and astragalus which I used for 4 days and which had never been noted to effect my dreams. (I also didnt get sick from the cold despite definite exposure, but thats not unusual for me)

Yesterday I didnt use any berries and my dreams were back to normal.

I plan to try a run with just the ashwagandha berries in a week or three to see if I can replicate the experience, just thought I'd throw it out into ethnobot land so others can play with this critter if they have the inclination.

[Marcel]

Interesting! Thanks for sharing the observation.

[obtuse]

Nice one Auxin.

I will have to revisit this plant.

Cheers.

[woof woof woof]

This is interesting. Seeds are in the ground and ready for takeoff! ;-)

[devance]

Beware the

Colorado Potato Beetle

A small ladybug sized yellow and black striped beetle that's known to feed on plants from the Solanaceae family (datura, tomatoes, potatoes ect) and Cucurbitaceae (pumpkins, squash and zucchini etc).

They can lay up to 500 eggs every couple of weeks on the underside of leaves and the emerging young will stay in a group and feed causing severe damage.

-Courtesy poisonshroom

Natural Enemies- Parasitic wasps and ladybugs feed on the larvae of the potato beetle.

Birds, assasin bugs and predatory stink bugs may also help.

8888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

I call them shit bugs as the lavae cover themselfs in their own shit when on top of a leaf.

A Withania somnifera wouldn't stand a chance.

A herbal extract ticture is easly avialable in the U.S.

[Auxin]

I've never seen nor heard of a commercial ashwagandha berry tincture You must be thinking of the root extract.

And happily I've never seen that colorado potato beetle despite living in its current range. Its said to not have made it to Oz yet.

[poisonshroom]

Hmm i must have been mistaken about the potato beetle. What I was referring to is spotted. We call them potato beetles or pumpkin beetles here

[devance]

I've never seen nor heard of a commercial ashwagandha berry tincture You must be thinking of the root extract.

And happily I've never seen that colorado potato beetle despite living in its current range. Its said to not have made it to Oz yet.

 

The berries can be used as a substitute for rennet, to coagulate milk in cheese making.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Withania_somnifera

http://www.anxietyherbscurenaturally.com/ashwagandha-herb/

http://www.shamansgarden.com/p-363-liquid-extract-ashwagandha.aspx

[Stillman]

I'm off to work now but am very interested in this plant, Anyone had a go at growing this one?

To be continued

[Yeti101]

I never had much trouble with it in Newcastle, so long as I kept the spider mites off it. There are heaps of seeds out in the community - it's one of those plants that basically everyone could (or should) be growing.

[Stillman]

yeah I have 3 plants growing two look like they are setting flowers so looking forward to watching them grow. I'm interested in trying the berries in a tea maybe. I will definitely be harvesting the whole plant after summer but this caught my eye. Is Auxin still around the forum?

Edited August 27, 2012 by Stillman