Ashwagandharishta
Ashwagandharishta is a classical Ayurvedic fermented arishta or asava. Listed in the Ayurvedic Formulary of India (AFI), which attributes it to Bhaisajyaratnavali. Described as a Rasayana (rejuvenator) specifically for improving Virya (vital strength) and fertility. The Ayurvedic Formulary of India (Part I, entry 1:6) lists 29 ingredients, beginning with Asvagandha, Musali, Manjistha and Haritaki.
| Pharmacopoeia status | Listed in the Ayurvedic Formulary of India (AFI). Attributed to Bhaisajyaratnavali. Ashwagandha root monograph in Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India. HPLC-standardized formulations available. |
|---|
Composition
As given in the Ayurvedic Formulary of India, Part I, entry 1:6 (ASVAGANDHADYARISTA), which cites Bhaisajyaratnavali, Mirccha ra; 13-17. Names, parts and quantities are transcribed as printed and checked row by row against the book. Manufacturers' versions of a classical formulation can differ from the formulary.
| # | Ingredient | Part | Quantity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Asvagandha * | root | 2.400 kg. |
| 2 | Musali | 960 g. | |
| 3 | Manjistha * | root | 480 g. |
| 4 | Haritaki * | pericarp | 480 g. |
| 5 | Haridra | rhizome | 480 g. |
| 6 | Daruharidra | stem | 480 g. |
| 7 | Madhuka (yasti) | root | 480 g. |
| 8 | Rasna * | Rt/Lf. | 480 g. |
| 9 | Vidari | root tuber | 480 g. |
| 10 | Partha (arjuna) | stem bark | 480 g. |
| 11 | Mustaka (musta) | rhizome | 480 g. |
| 12 | Trivrt | root | 480 g. |
| 13 | Ananta (Sveta sariva) | root | 384 g. |
| 14 | Syama (krsna sariva) * | root | 384 g. |
| 15 | Sveta candana * | heart wood | 384 g. |
| 16 | Rakta candana | heart wood | 384 g. |
| 17 | Vaca | rhizome | 384 g. |
| 18 | Citraka | root | 384 g. |
| 19 | Water for decoction * | 98.304 l. reduced to 12.288 l. | |
| 20 | Maksika (madhu) | 14.400 kg. | |
| 21 | Dhataki * | flower | 768 g. |
| 22 | Sunthi | rhizome | 96 g. |
| 23 | Marica | fruit | 96 g. |
| 24 | Pippali | fruit | 96 g. |
| 25 | Tvak | stem bark | 192 g. |
| 26 | Ela (suksmaila) | seed | 192 g. |
| 27 | Patra (tejapatra) | leaf | 192 g. |
| 28 | Priyangu | flower | 192 g. |
| 29 | Nagakesara | stamens | 96 g. |
* The scanned text was damaged at this row and the name was read from the entry's own Sanskrit verse.
The evidence at a glance
4papers on this site for this drug, published 2012 to 2024, every one with a DOI.
- 4Laboratory and animal studies
A count is not a conclusion and a tier is a study design, not a verdict. Everything listed here is laboratory or animal work, which does not show an effect in people.true See the research index for how papers are tiered.
Names and identification
| Language | Name |
|---|---|
| English | Ashwagandharishta |
Where is it described in the classical texts?
The Ayurvedic Formulary of India attributes it to Bhaisajyaratnavali (Murccha chapter). Described as a Rasayana (rejuvenator) specifically for improving Virya (vital strength) and fertility.
How does it work?
- Adaptogenic action through modulation of HPA axis and cortisol reduction (Ashwagandha withanolides)
- Immunomodulatory action; traditionally used during convalescence
- Rejuvenative (Rasayana) action through combined antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anabolic properties
Which traditional uses are supported by research?
These summaries come from the source notes, which do not name the studies behind them.
- Stress and anxiety: traditionally used for stress and anxiety. A placebo-controlled clinical study reported lower cortisol levels.
- Chronic fatigue and debility: traditionally used for chronic fatigue and debility. A randomized clinical study reported improvement in fatigue severity.
- Convalescence after febrile illness: traditionally used during convalescence after febrile illness.
- Vitality and reproductive health: traditionally used as a Rasayana for vitality and reproductive health.
What do recent studies show?
No study for this section could be traced to a published paper. Classical formulations are researched largely in journals that PubMed does not index, so an absence here reflects the reach of the index rather than the state of the evidence.
Recent safety updates
- Contains 5-10% self-generated alcohol from fermentation. Contraindicated in pregnancy and during lactation. Ashwagandha may alter thyroid hormone levels; monitor in thyroid patients.
- May potentiate sedative and anxiolytic medications. Overdosage can cause gastric irritation, nausea, or diarrhea. Use under physician supervision in autoimmune conditions.
Dosage forms and preparation
Dosage Forms: Arishta (fermented decoction), Capsules (modern), Syrup (modern)
Standard Dosage: 15-30 mL twice daily after meals with equal water. The Ayurvedic Formulary of India attributes this formula to Bhaisajyaratnavali, Mirccha ra; 13-17.
Optimal Timing: After meals, twice daily, preferably after lunch and dinner.
Storage: Store in well-closed amber glass or HDPE containers in a cool, dry place. Protect from direct sunlight. Temperature not exceeding 30°C.
Marker Compounds: Withanolide A, Withaferin A, Withanone, Withanoside IV, 12-Deoxywithastramonolide
Vehicle (Anupana): Equal quantity of warm water
Synergistic Combinations
- Balarishta
- Ashwagandha Churna
- Shatavari Churna
- Brahmi Vati
- Chyawanprash
What manufacturers publish about this preparation
Disclosure first. This site is published by Age Ayurveda, which sells Ayurvedic products, though not this preparation. Every cell states what that company's own product page carried when it was read, not our judgement of it. There is no score, no rank and no winner here, and the table is in alphabetical order for that reason.
The formulary entry above fixes the ingredients and the quantity of each. Whether you can check a particular product against it depends on what its manufacturer publishes. Of the 10 companies surveyed that sell a product under this name, this is what their pages carried when they were read on 8 October 2026.
| Company | What its product page publishes |
|---|---|
| AVN Ayurveda | Neither an ingredient list nor quantities |
| Baidyanath | Neither an ingredient list nor quantities |
| Dabur | Neither an ingredient list nor quantities |
| Kerala Ayurveda | An ingredient list, without quantities |
| Maharishi Ayurveda | Neither an ingredient list nor quantities |
| Sandu Pharmaceuticals | Neither an ingredient list nor quantities |
| Shree Dhootapapeshwar | Ingredients and the quantity of each |
| Sitaram Ayurveda | An ingredient list, without quantities |
| SNA Oushadhasala | Neither an ingredient list nor quantities |
| The Arya Vaidya Pharmacy, Coimbatore | Neither an ingredient list nor quantities |
This measures what each company publishes, not the quality of anything it makes. A company that publishes nothing here may make an excellent preparation, and the label in the box is a separate, regulated surface that is not what was read. What disclosure changes is whether a reader, a pharmacist or an answer engine can check a product against the formulary entry it claims.
Method, the full counts across every company surveyed, and what this measurement got wrong the first time: which manufacturers publish what is in the bottle. The URL of every page read is recorded in brand-disclosure.json. If a row here is wrong, including where the correction favours a company other than ours, tell us and we will fix it and say that we did. How the same companies' stated doses compare with the formulary dose, preparation by preparation: Ayurvedic company doses against the Ayurvedic Formulary of India.
Published research
Literature indexed in PubMed that concerns this subject, grouped by study type. A paper appearing here is a record of what has been published, not evidence that the subject works, and laboratory or animal results do not transfer to people. Study titles link to PubMed so you can read the source rather than take our word.
Laboratory and animal studies4
- 2012. Protective role of Ashwagandharishta and flax seed oil against maximal electroshock induced seizures in albino ratsAyu. PMID 23049195 · doi:10.4103/0974-8520.100327
- 2024. Efficacy of Brahmi vati and Aswagandharista in major depressive disorder: A randomized controlled trialJournal of Ayurveda and integrative medicine. PMID 39631219 · doi:10.1016/j.jaim.2024.101022
- 2014. 'Ashvagandharishta' prepared using yeast consortium from Woodfordia fruticosa flowers exhibit hepatoprotective effect on CCl4 induced liver damage in Wistar ratsJournal of ethnopharmacology. PMID 24211394 · doi:10.1016/j.jep.2013.10.025
- 2022. High performance thin layer chromatography based chemo profiling of Ashvagandharishta and its antidepressant activityJournal of chromatography. B, Analytical technologies in the biomedical and life sciences. PMID 35696981 · doi:10.1016/j.jchromb.2022.123334
Reviewed by Dr. Awadesh Pratap Singh, BAMS, on 11 October 2026. What that review covered.
Consult a qualified vaidya before acting on anything here. Ayurvedic practice is prescribed to a person, not to a condition: the same dravya is given, withheld or substituted depending on your constitution, your agni, the season and what else you are already taking. A page cannot know any of that. Self-prescribing from a reference is how the wrong preparation, the wrong dose or the wrong anupana gets used.
Educational reference only. Nothing on this page is medical advice, a diagnosis, or a recommendation to take anything. Traditional uses and research findings are reported as published, not as claims about what any product does. If you take prescribed medication, raise any interaction with the prescriber rather than acting on a page. See our editorial standards.