Trial reportMedicine2019
An investigation into the stress-relieving and pharmacological actions of an ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) extract: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.
Trial report in Medicine, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT07647081 (Female Adversity and Biology), which is not on this map. Cited by 86 papers, 11 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Female Adversity and Biology: Stress Reduction
Who cites it
86 citing papers in PubMed, 11 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 197 citations in OpenAlex.
- Effects of Ashwagandha on Reproductive Health: A Systematic Review of Sex-Specific Hormonal and Fertility Outcomes.Phytotherapy research : PTR · 2026Pooled it
- Effects ofNutrients · 2026Pooled it
- Effects ofFrontiers in pharmacology · 2026Pooled it
- Do "testosterone boosters" really increase serum total testosterone? A systematic review.International journal of impotence research · 2024Pooled it
- Effects ofNutrients · 2023Pooled it
- Effects of Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha) on Hematological and Biochemical Markers, Hormonal Behavior, and Oxidant Response in Healthy Adults: A Systematic Review.Current nutrition reports · 2023Pooled it
- Dietary Supplements for Erectile Dysfunction: Analysis of Marketed Products, Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis and Rational Use.Nutrients · 2023Pooled it
- Adaptogens on Depression-Related Outcomes: A Systematic Integrative Review and Rationale of Synergism with Physical Activity.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2023Pooled it
- The Therapeutic Impact of Plant-Based and Nutritional Supplements on Anxiety, Depressive Symptoms and Sleep Quality among Adults and Elderly: A Systematic Review of the Literature.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2023Pooled it
- Examining the Effects of Herbs on Testosterone Concentrations in Men: A Systematic Review.Advances in nutrition (Bethesda, Md.) · 2021Pooled it
- Effects of Ashwagandha (Nutrients · 2020Pooled it
- Trial
- Efficacy and safety of a sustained release ashwagandha root extract capsules on muscle strength and cardiorespiratory endurance in recreationally active individuals: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.Frontiers in nutrition · 2026Trial
- Safe prolonged prophylactic use and tolerability of Ashwagandha following COVISHIELD™ vaccination over 24 weeks: a multicentre randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial.Frontiers in medicine · 2026Trial
- Effects of Root Extract of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) on Perception of Recovery and Muscle Strength in Female Athletes.European journal of sport science · 2025Trial
- A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study to Evaluate the Safety and Efficacy of a Nutraceutical Supplement With Standardized Botanicals in Males With Thinning Hair.Journal of cosmetic dermatology · 2025Trial
- Exploring the efficacy and safety of a novel standardized ashwagandha (Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England) · 2023Trial
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- Social Media and Supplements for Menopausal Symptoms: A Content Analysis.BJOG : an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology · 2026Observational
26 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundAshwagandha (Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal) is a herb traditionally used to reduce stress and enhance wellbeing. The aim of this study was to investigate its anxiolytic effects on adults with self-reported high stress and to examine potential mechanisms associated with its therapeutic effects.
methodsIn this 60-day, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study the stress-relieving and pharmacological activity of an ashwagandha extract was investigated in stressed, healthy adults. Sixty adults were randomly allocated to take either a placebo or 240 mg of a standardized ashwagandha extract (Shoden) once daily. Outcomes were measured using the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A), Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale -21 (DASS-21), and hormonal changes in cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone-sulphate (DHEA-S), and testosterone.
resultsAll participants completed the trial with no adverse events reported. In comparison with the placebo, ashwagandha supplementation was associated with a statistically significant reduction in the HAM-A (P = .040) and a near-significant reduction in the DASS-21 (P = .096). Ashwagandha intake was also associated with greater reductions in morning cortisol (P < .001), and DHEA-S (P = .004) compared with the placebo. Testosterone levels increased in males (P = .038) but not females (P = .989) over time, although this change was not statistically significant compared with the placebo (P = .158).
conclusionsThese findings suggest that ashwagandha's stress-relieving effects may occur via its moderating effect on the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis. However, further investigation utilizing larger sample sizes, diverse clinical and cultural populations, and varying treatment dosages are needed to substantiate these findings.
trial registrationClinical Trials Registry-India (CTRI registration number: CTRI/2017/08/009449; date of registration 22/08/2017).
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.