{"entity":{"id":"ashwagandha","kind":"technology","name":"Ashwagandha","aka":["Withania somnifera","Indian ginseng","Winter cherry"],"tldr":"Ashwagandha is an Ayurvedic herb taken for stress, sleep and energy. Small studies in breast cancer reported less fatigue during chemotherapy, but liver injury has been reported, and it may raise testosterone, so men with hormone-sensitive prostate cancer are advised to avoid it.","summary":"Ashwagandha root is a staple of Ayurvedic formulations for stress, fatigue and sleep. Memorial Sloan Kettering's About Herbs summary cites small trials suggesting less anxiety and stress and better sleep, and studies in women with breast cancer reporting less chemotherapy-related fatigue and better quality of life; these are small and need confirming. Anticancer effects are limited to cell lines and animals. MSK lists contraindications that matter in cancer care: it may increase testosterone and should be avoided in hormone-sensitive prostate cancer; it has sedative effects that may add to benzodiazepines, anticonvulsants and barbiturates; and it may trigger or worsen autoimmune disease. Reported harms include liver injury in several case reports, thyrotoxicosis, and kidney transplant rejection; a product mixed with mucuna caused haemolytic anaemia from lead contamination. In laboratory studies it inhibited CYP2B6 and induced CYP3A4, both of which handle some cancer drugs, with unknown clinical relevance. It can also falsely raise digoxin blood tests.","status":"phase-2","asOf":"2026-11-04","links":[{"label":"MSK About Herbs: Ashwagandha (page last updated 28 July 2026)","url":"https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/integrative-medicine/herbs/ashwagandha"}],"tags":["complementary","supportive-care","evidence:insufficient"],"related":["asian-ginseng","lions-mane-mushroom"],"cancers":["prostate","breast-hr-positive"],"sections":["supportive-care","nutrition-lifestyle"],"technologies":["integrative-oncology","ayurvedic-medicine-cancer","cancer-related-fatigue-management"],"targets":[],"drugs":[],"companies":[],"institutions":[],"pathways":[],"terms":["hepatotoxicity"],"trials":[],"people":[],"bottlenecks":["b-toxicity-qol"],"keyPapers":[],"journals":[],"dependsOn":[],"notes":[],"principle":"Withanolides such as withaferin A have anti-inflammatory, sedative and cytotoxic activity in laboratory models; clinical effects on stress and sleep are modest and short-term.","strengths":["Small trials for stress, sleep and chemotherapy fatigue","Generally mild side effects"],"limitations":["Liver injury and thyroid effects reported","Avoid in hormone-sensitive prostate cancer","Possible enzyme interactions with cancer drugs"]},"route":"/technologies/ashwagandha/","neighbours":{"technology":[{"id":"asian-ginseng","kind":"technology","name":"Asian ginseng (Panax ginseng)","route":"/technologies/asian-ginseng/"},{"id":"ayurvedic-medicine-cancer","kind":"technology","name":"Ayurvedic medicine and cancer","route":"/technologies/ayurvedic-medicine-cancer/"},{"id":"integrative-oncology","kind":"technology","name":"Evidence-based integrative oncology","route":"/technologies/integrative-oncology/"},{"id":"cancer-related-fatigue-management","kind":"technology","name":"Fatigue after cancer treatment: what actually works","route":"/technologies/cancer-related-fatigue-management/"},{"id":"lions-mane-mushroom","kind":"technology","name":"Lion's mane mushroom","route":"/technologies/lions-mane-mushroom/"}],"cancer":[{"id":"breast-hr-positive","kind":"cancer","name":"HR-positive / HER2-negative breast cancer","route":"/cancers/breast-hr-positive/"},{"id":"prostate","kind":"cancer","name":"Prostate cancer","route":"/cancers/prostate/"}],"section":[{"id":"nutrition-lifestyle","kind":"section","name":"Diet, Exercise & Lifestyle","route":"/fronts/nutrition-lifestyle/"},{"id":"supportive-care","kind":"section","name":"Supportive Care & Survivorship","route":"/fronts/supportive-care/"}],"term":[{"id":"hepatotoxicity","kind":"term","name":"Hepatotoxicity (liver enzyme elevation)","route":"/terms/hepatotoxicity/"}],"bottleneck":[{"id":"b-toxicity-qol","kind":"bottleneck","name":"Toxicity and quality of life are undervalued","route":"/bottlenecks/b-toxicity-qol/"}]}}