Regular Consumption of Ashwagandha Root Extract Does Not Harm Liver or Kidney, Clinical Study Reveals
A large multi-center clinical study has found that daily consumption of Ashwagandha root extract for up to 24 weeks has no adverse effects on liver or kidney function.
According to a comprehensive multi-center clinical study published in Frontiers in Medicine, the daily consumption of Ashwagandha root extract for up to 24 weeks does not cause any damage to the liver or kidney. Published on August 20, 2026, the study is titled “Safe prolonged prophylactic use and tolerability of Ashwagandha following COVISHIELD™ vaccination over 24 weeks: a multicentre randomised double-blind placebo-controlled trial.”
The study was conducted by a multidisciplinary team of 45 researchers from nine institutions. These included the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA), National Institute of Ayurveda Jaipur, Ayush Centre of Excellence, Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, Centre for Complementary and Integrative Health, and the Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences at Savitribai Phule Pune University. The team comprised experts in Ayurveda, clinical medicine, rheumatology, and integrative health.
This randomized and double-blind clinical trial involved 1,200 healthy adults between the ages of 18 and 70 who had received the first, second, or booster dose of the Covishield vaccine. Participants were administered 500 mg of standardized aqueous Ashwagandha root extract daily, equivalent to 4 grams of raw Ashwagandha root powder, while another group received a placebo. Conducted across seven centers in India, the study was registered with the Clinical Trials Registry–India (CTRI/2021/06/034496).
Results showed that 1,032 out of the 1,200 participants (86 percent) completed the trial. The safety and tolerability profile of Ashwagandha root extract was found to be favorable over the 24-week period. Assessments of liver enzymes, bilirubin, creatinine, and blood urea showed no evidence of treatment-related damage, with all parameters remaining within standard reference limits. No serious adverse events were reported during the study.
Secretary of the Ministry of Ayush, Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, stated that these findings provide strong scientific evidence supporting the safety of standardized Ayurvedic interventions and clarify their potential in contemporary healthcare. The lead author of the study, Dr. Arvind Chopra, noted that Ashwagandha did not interfere with the immune response generated by the vaccine, and the level of virus-neutralizing activity remained above 85 percent in both groups.
National Professor of Ayush Prof. Bhushan Patwardhan and Director General of CCRAS Prof. (Vaidya) Rabinarayan Acharya also highlighted the importance of the study, stating that such rigorous clinical research strengthens the scientific foundation of Ayurveda and promotes the responsible global use of Ayurvedic preparations.
