A large multicentre clinical trial has found that daily intake of a standardised ashwagandha root extract for 24 weeks was well tolerated in healthy adults, with no evidence of liver or kidney injury. The Ministry of Ayush highlighted the findings on Monday.

The study, published in Frontiers in Medicine, was a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving 1,200 apparently healthy adults aged 18 to 70. Participants received either 500 mg of a standardised aqueous ashwagandha root extract daily or a matching placebo across seven sites in India.

Liver and kidney function parameters stayed within normal ranges, and zero serious adverse events were attributed to the intervention. Nearly 86 per cent of enrolled participants completed the full trial, which was conducted by 45 researchers from nine institutions.

The findings are a significant addition to the scientific evidence base for Ayurvedic interventions. They could reshape regulatory debates about the herb in global markets, where safety questions have sometimes limited its acceptance.