Multiple shoot cultures of Withania somnifera were established from single shoot tip explants and their potential for the production of two principle withanolides, withaferin A and withanolide D was investigated. Shoot tips grown on MS medium supplemented with BA (1 mg l-1) induced 10.0 ± 1.15 microshoots per explants and shoot cultures accumulated both withanolides (withaferin A = 0.04 %, withanolide D = 0.06 %). Supplementation of MSSM (solid) agar medium with 4 % sucrose enhanced accumulation of both withaferin A (0.16 %) and withanolide D (0.08 %). Reduction of the agar concentration to 0.16 % increased the number of microshoots induced per explant to 25.5. MSSM liquid medium containing 10 % coconut milk favoured a maximum increase in biomass (27 fold); number of microshoots induced (37.6 ± 1.45) as well as accumulation of withaferin A (0.14 %). BA:N6-Benzyladenine Kn:Kinetin 2iP:N6-[2-Isopentenyl]adenine MS:Murashige and Skoog (1962) MSSM:Murashige and Skoog's basal medium + BA (1 mg l-1)