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Ashwagandha Root; Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal; Asgandh / Asgand (Unani); Winter Cherry; Asvagandha; Ajagandha. Note: "Indian Ginseng" is a 20th-century Western marketing analogy, NOT a traditional Sanskrit name - W. somnifera (Solanaceae) is botanically unrelated to Panax ginseng (Araliaceae) and contains a different bioactive class (withanolides, not ginsenosides).
The dried root of Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal, a small grayish-tomentose subshrub in the Solanaceae. Native range, per Kew Plants of the World Online, spans southern Europe and Macaronesia through North / East / South Africa and the Middle East to South Asia, central China, and Myanmar ("S. Europe to Central China, Africa to Myanmar"). Most cultivation for trade is in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, India; the prized "Nagori" landrace originates near Nagaur (Rajasthan) and Neemuch (Madhya Pradesh). Revered in Ayurveda as a restorative (Rasayana) tonic for depletion.
⚕ Educational content · traditional and historical use · not medical advice
A traditional Ayurvedic Rasayana root; the best-evidenced modern uses are stress reduction and sleep support, with a calming rather than stimulating profile. Carries a documented liver-injury safety signal (see cautions).
Traditional: ashwagandha churna (root powder) with warm milk, ghee, water, or honey; ashwagandharishta (fermented decoction); medicated oils. Modern commercial: standardised root extracts - KSM-66 (Ixoreal Biomed, root-only, >=5% withanolides), Shoden (Arjuna Natural), Sensoril (Natreon, root+leaf, >=10% withanolides). Most modern clinical evidence is on these standardised extracts, NOT on crude churna; doses and effects are not interchangeable.
With food if stomach-sensitive. Traditionally taken with warm milk or ghee (anupana) per Ayurvedic practice; the lipid vehicle is theorised to support delivery of fat-soluble withanolides, though human pharmacokinetic data specific to milk / ghee co-administration are limited.
Sanskrit asvagandha = asva ("horse") + gandha ("smell") - both for the root's horse-like odour and the belief that the consumer gains a horse's strength. One of the most important Ayurvedic Rasayana (rejuvenative) drugs, also classified as Balya (strength-promoting), Vajikarana (reproductive tonic), and Medharasayana (cognitive tonic); cited in the Charaka and Sushruta Samhitas for karshya (wasting), kshaya (depletion), vatavyadhi, klaibya (impotence), and nidra (sleep - reflected in the epithet somnifera). Used in Unani as "Asgand" and in Siddha. Traditional preparations: ashwagandha churna (root powder, 3 to 6 g with milk, ghee, water, or honey as anupana - the lipid vehicle matches the fat-soluble withanolides), ashwagandharishta (a fermented preparation for insomnia / debility / anxiety), ashwagandha pak, and ashwagandha taila. Major cultivation is in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan; the "Nagori" landrace (Nagaur, Rajasthan) is the premium type. IMPORTANT: most modern clinical evidence is on 20th-21st-century STANDARDISED extracts (KSM-66, root-only, >=5% withanolides; Sensoril, root+leaf, >=10%; Shoden) that concentrate withanolides ~10-50x over raw root and are pharmacologically distinct from the classical crude churna - doses and effects are not interchangeable.
A withanolide-rich root extract. Clinical RCTs consistently show modest reductions in perceived stress, anxiety scores, and morning serum cortisol, consistent with HPA-axis modulation (the best-supported mechanism). Animal and in-vitro data suggest acetylcholinesterase inhibition and neurite-outgrowth effects, but these are NOT confirmed in human pharmacodynamic studies. The herb can also raise circulating T3 / T4 and suppress TSH - this is a SAFETY consideration (the same pharmacology has produced published thyrotoxicosis case reports), NOT a therapeutic mechanism (see Cautions and Contraindications).
Most modern clinical evidence is on STANDARDISED root extracts (KSM-66, Shoden, Sensoril), not on traditional crude churna - doses and effects are not interchangeable. A substantial share of positive RCTs are funded by or use product supplied by the extract manufacturers (Ixoreal / Arjuna / Natreon) - a systematic sponsor-bias pattern; interpret efficacy data accordingly. The two independent meta-analyses (Akhgarjand 2022 stress, Cheah 2021 sleep) explicitly flag low certainty and very high heterogeneity (I-squared ~62 to 94 percent). Despite the name "Indian ginseng," ashwagandha is botanically unrelated to Panax ginseng and contains different bioactives (withanolides, not ginsenosides). LiverTox Likelihood B and the EMA HMPC decision NOT to adopt a monograph are meaningful negative regulatory signals. Monitor liver and thyroid status for use beyond ~8 weeks.
Cautions: Common: drowsiness, mild GI upset (nausea, loose stools). HEPATOTOXICITY: documented in a growing case-report literature; LiverTox classifies ashwagandha as Likelihood Score B - a "likely cause of clinically apparent liver injury" (NBK548536, updated Dec 2024). The injury is typically CHOLESTATIC OR MIXED (occasionally hepatocellular at onset), latency 2 to 12 weeks, usually self-limited within 1 to 5 months of stopping; rare fatal acute liver failure and transplant cases have occurred, especially with preexisting liver disease. National authorities have acted: Iceland (MAST 2021 opinion; 2018 product recall), Denmark (2023 ban), France (ANSES 2024 opinion), Netherlands (RIVM 2024); EMA HMPC explicitly DECLINED to adopt a European monograph. THYROID: ashwagandha can raise T3 / T4 and suppress TSH; published case reports document thyrotoxicosis (including a supraventricular-tachycardia presentation) and painless thyroiditis, resolving on cessation. Discontinue and seek medical evaluation for new jaundice, dark urine, abdominal pain, palpitations, unexpected weight loss, or heat intolerance. Additive CNS depression with sedatives / benzodiazepines / opioids / alcohol.
Contraindications: Pregnancy and breastfeeding (traditional Ayurvedic contraindication; WHO, ANSES, MAST, and Denmark DTU recommend avoidance pending human safety data). Active liver disease, cirrhosis, or concurrent hepatotoxic medications (risk of severe or fatal liver injury). Hyperthyroidism, Graves' disease, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, or use of thyroid medication (risk of thyrotoxicosis / painless thyroiditis / additive thyroid-hormone effects). Concurrent sedatives, benzodiazepines, opioids, or alcohol (additive CNS depression). Autoimmune disease with concurrent immunosuppressants (theoretical immunostimulant concern). Pre-surgical - discontinue at least 2 weeks before elective surgery. Hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (precautionary). Known Solanaceae allergy.
For informational purposes only. This entry does not constitute medical advice. Consult a qualified healthcare provider before starting any supplement, especially if you have existing health conditions, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or take prescription medications.