Hyderabad: Progression of age-related cataract can be arrested by intake of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), a plant used in Ayurveda, according to a study.

Geetha Thiagarajan and colleagues at the L V Prasad Eye Institute report that their experiments in test tubes have shown that water extract of Ashwagandha has excellent antioxidant, cytoprotective and related properties.

They said it is also able to retard the formation of 'cold cataract' (a phenomenon where the proteins of the eye lens separate) "suggesting that Ashwagandha could well act as a cataract-static agent".

The scientists, who reported their findings in the October 10 issue of 'Current Science', said the antioxidant and other properties of Ashwagandha make it an attractive drug of choice to be tried on human patients.

Antioxidant vitamins are known to delay cataract formation, but they are very expensive compared to Ashwagandha, they added.

PTI