It is commonly recognized that the pace of plant extinction has been reached to one species per day as a consequence of anthropogenic activities and this decline rate is believed to be 1000 - 10,000 times faster than that would naturally occur [1] [2] and if this decline remains constant, 60,000 - 100,000 plant species may disappear in future [2] [3] . Major reason behind the current issue is the habitat loss by various anthropogenic activities, resulting in the fragmentation, alteration, and destruction of habitats. Furthermore, climate change is another major factor in this connection [4] .

According to IUCN Red list, categories and criteria, unfortunately, insufficient work has been done on threatened plants of Pakistan and extremely little bit information is available on this subject [5] . The moist temperate in Himalaya regions of Pakistan acquires much attention for the conservation of environment as well as the sustainable use of all the natural resources. The decline in forest cover and significant changes in community structure are responsible for the decline of indigenous medicinal flora together with their traditional knowledge [6] .

In the present study, distribution, morphology, chemical composition, medicinal properties, major threats, conservation status, and conservation strategies of the important endangered medicinal plant W. somnifera were discussed. Extensive grazing, deforestation and over-exploitation have caused forest degradation, habitat fragmentation and species extinction [7] . At high altitudes of Himalaya where possible availability of cultivated land is fairly less, so development of botanical gardens as well as promotion of kitchen garden or home gardens may be regarded as the conservation strategy for sustainable utilization of medicinal plants. The people of the native area mainly rely on the plant diversity for numerous purposes and ultimately lead plants to extinction [8] . Damages to the plants are smuggling of trees and shrubs; careless and illicit cutting and overgrazing, loss of habitat, converting the plan slopes in the forests for cultivation purposes also put forth vast stress on the vegetation and these results in degradation to the environment [9] [10] .

W. somnifera (Dunal) is member of family Solanaceae. Its English name is Winter Cherry and its Urdu name is Asghand/Kutilal [6] . This plant is xerophytic in nature, distributed in the drier parts of Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, Sri Lanka, and in the Mediterranean regions as shown in Figure 1. In Pakistan, it is found in Nandiar Khuwar, District Battagram of Western Himalayan Province [6] and in regions of Azad Jammu and Kashmir [11] . W. somnifera is also associated with Knotti Garden sites of Soon valley and Anga, Khabeki and (Salt Range) of Punjab Pakistan [12] [13] [14] .

The plant is distributed in dry areas of sub-tropics and is low lying shrub of 1.50 m height possessed erect branching. It also grows in dry arid areas of India, Pakistan,

China and Bangladesh. It is distributed in the base of hills in broad-leaved and Pinus roxburghii forests [6] .

W. somnifera Dunal (Synon. Physalis flexuosa L.; Physalis somnifera L). is an erect, stellate-tomentose, grayish, under shrub with 30 - 75 cm in height having long tuberous roots (Figure 2(a)). Leaves are sub-opposite, broadly ovate to oblong, alternate, petiolate, entire and sub-acute with lamina (5 - 10 × 2.5 - 7) cm. Flowers are bisexual, greenish, small, solitary, axillary, or in few-flowered cymes. The calyx is gamosepalous possesses five 3 - 5 mm lobes, inflated and acrescent in a fruit. The corolla is greenish-yellow of five 5 - 8 mm lobes and campanulate. Stamens are five numbers. The ovary is glabrous, globose and ovoid containing many ovules. The filiform style as well as 2-lobed stigma, fruit is a globose/berry, orange-red in color when ripen and covered in the enlarged calyx (Figure 2(b)). Seeds are many, discoid, yellow and reniform [15] [16] [17] .

Chemical analysis of Ashwagandha showed that it has alkaloids and steroidal lactones (withanolides) as its main constituents (Figures 3(a)-(c)). Several si-

toindosides, thirty five withanolides and twelve alkaloids from W. somnifera plant have been isolated and well-studied. Among all these withanine is the major constituent. The withanolides contains C-28 steroidal nucleus along with C-9 side chain and with a six membered lactone ring [19] . Significant Ashwaganda’s pharmacological activity has been characterized by the two main withanolides, withaferin A and withanolide D. More chemical analysis has showed the presence of Alkaloids like Anaferine, Anahygrine, Beta-Sisterol, Chlorogenic acid (found in leaf only), Cysteine (found in fruit), Iron, Cuscohygrine, Pseudotropine, Somniferinine, Scopoletin, Tropanol, Somniferiene, Withananine, Withanine and Withanolides A-Y Steroidal lactones [20] [21] .

W. somnifera has not yet been assessed for the IUCN Red List. However, Siddique et al. [44] and Sharma et al. [45] declared W. somnifera as endangered and rare plant. In Pakistan, W. somnifera is falling in criteria A of endangered category [6] . So there is need to conserve this species like highly medicinal wild plant species [46] and economically important plants Citrus reticulata [47] .

The various threats are facing by W. somnifera which leads towards the extinction of this highly medicinal species. Increase in human population and constant unplanned over exploitation of this plant for medicinal, firewood and fodder purposes has resulted damage into the Withania species.

W. somnifera is a highly important medicinal plant and used globally in pharmaceutical industry. Withania propagates vegetative in its natural state, but this propagation rate is much slow to meet demand of high quality planting material for commercial cultivation [51] . The W. somnifera plant is a set and valuable resource that requires wise, efficient as well as sustainable management and conservation strategies. Therefore, instant conservation measures as projected below are immediately necessary in order to protect the plant from extinction. The conservation strategies should be adopted for the conservation of highly medicinal plants [52] [53] .

Biotechnological techniques can help us to conserve this miracle plant. A swift and extremely effective method is the micropropagation method for elite selection of Withania by auxiliary branching method utilizing shoot tip as explants was standardized by [51] . Shoot cultures were initiated on MS medium containing BA (0.5 - 2.0 mg/L) with NAA (0.2 - 0.5 mg/L) containing 3% commercial sucrose and 0.8% agar. This fast and competent regeneration protocol could be used for large production of selected cultivated varieties at commercial scale. This direct regeneration method which lessens genetic flux that is normally come across during callus mediated regeneration will assist in production of large number of selected superior chemo types ashwagandha which has high- quality demand in the present drug market. Iqbal et al. [54] established a protocol for synthetic seed production by using artificial coating material (sodium alginate) and complexing agent (calcium chloride) through somatic embryogenesis. This synthetic seed technology can also be very helpful for medicinal plants such as Withania species. Siddique et al. [44] have reported an easy and efficient protocol for micropropogation of the endangered medicinal plant W. somnifera. This protocol can be used for booming and rapid technique that can be utilized for ex-situ conservation. The implementation of these protocols can aid to diminish the pressure on wild populations and contribute toward the conservation of the valuable plant W. somnifera.

It is anticipated that a standard protocol to persuade multiple shoots in cultures may offer more homogenous source of this important medicinal plant. Similarly a mass awareness campaign must be launched on both governmental as well as community level in order to endorse consciousness among the people about the importance of plants and conservation of the flora. Moreover, proper documentation and conservation of indigenous knowledge requires to be done. Appropriate training of the local communities regarding the conservation and sustainable use of flora needs to be given. Anthropogenic impacts like deforestation and overgrazing should be reduced. These species should also be grown in botanical gardens. Permanent monitoring programs should be developed. So there is the urgent need to conserve this plant species like other threatened plant species [55] [56] [57] [58] [59] .

From the above discussion, it can be concluded that low rain fall, over grazing, population pressure, natural and accidental fires, soil aridity, deforestation, and over exploitation of medicinal plants are the major threats to biodiversity in the Himalayan and salt range. If the local people were not provided exchange of these problems, then the triumphing disturbances will rapidly eliminate the remaining patches of vegetation, predominantly medicinal flora of this biodiversity, rich areas including W. somnifera. This review has been compiled to highlight ample information about the status of W. somnifera, major threats to Himalayan biodiversity and conservation strategies to maintain population of important medicinal plants such as W. somnifera. Instantaneous and complete protection, effective community participation, efficient recovery system and biotechnological approaches for long term conservation are essential for sustainable use of W. somnifera in future.

We declare that we have no conflict of interest.

Aslam, S., Raja, N.I., Hussain, M., Iqbal, M., Ejaz, M., Ashfaq, D., Fatima, H., Shah, M.A., Abd-Ur-Rehman and Ehsan, M. (2017) Current Status of Wi- thania somnifera (L.) Dunal: An Endangered Medicinal Plant from Himalaya. American Journal of Plant Sciences, 8, 1159-1169. https://doi.org/10.4236/ajps.2017.85076