Document Type
Oral Presentation
Location
Oxford Conference Center, Oxford MS
Event Website
https://oxfordicsb.org/
Start Date
8-4-2025 10:30 AM
Description
Withania somnifera (WS) also known as ashwagandha is a herb commonly used in Ayurvedic medicine with recorded use dating back centuries. Different plant parts including roots, leaves, fruits, seeds and stems are purported to have various biological actions such as anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, anti-stress, anti-anxiety when used alone or in combination with other plants. Despite this long history of use as a traditional herb in Indian medicine and world-wide as a food supplement, regulatory health authorities have begun to question the safety of WS due clinical cases of herb-induced liver injury from products labelled as containing ashwagandha and concerns for WS as an abortifacient despite claims of WS strengthening a pregnant individual and stabilizing the foetus. This presentation will explore mechanisms of idiosyncratic liver injury and discuss preclinical studies used to support the safety of WS, including the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)-compliant study designed to assess prenatal development.
Recommended Citation
Summan, Mukesh, "Ashwagandha – Is it Safe? A Toxicologist’s Perspective" (2025). Oxford ICSB. 17.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/icsb/2025_ICSB/Schedule/17
Publication Date
April 2025
Accessibility Status
Screen reader accessible, Searchable text
Included in
Ashwagandha – Is it Safe? A Toxicologist’s Perspective
Oxford Conference Center, Oxford MS
Withania somnifera (WS) also known as ashwagandha is a herb commonly used in Ayurvedic medicine with recorded use dating back centuries. Different plant parts including roots, leaves, fruits, seeds and stems are purported to have various biological actions such as anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, anti-stress, anti-anxiety when used alone or in combination with other plants. Despite this long history of use as a traditional herb in Indian medicine and world-wide as a food supplement, regulatory health authorities have begun to question the safety of WS due clinical cases of herb-induced liver injury from products labelled as containing ashwagandha and concerns for WS as an abortifacient despite claims of WS strengthening a pregnant individual and stabilizing the foetus. This presentation will explore mechanisms of idiosyncratic liver injury and discuss preclinical studies used to support the safety of WS, including the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)-compliant study designed to assess prenatal development.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/icsb/2025_ICSB/Schedule/17