The short answer
Ashwagandharishta is a fermented liquid led by ashwagandha root, with 17 other herbs in the decoction, then honey and spices. The Ayurvedic Formulary of India lists it for fainting, epilepsy, mental illness, wasting and weak digestion. Like every arishta, it contains alcohol made as it ferments. A Sri Lankan survey of this and two other arishtas found a pooled range of 5.80 to 8.35% alcohol by volume. That matters if you avoid alcohol or have liver disease; if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, ask your vaidya and your doctor first.
In one trial, 50 people with major depression took either Ashwagandharishta with Brahmi vati, or escitalopram, for 60 days. Depression scores improved about equally. Quality of life and side effects favoured the Ayurvedic pair; sleep favoured escitalopram. Each batch uses 14.4 kg of honey, which matters if you have diabetes.
What is in it
The official recipe is in the Ayurvedic Formulary of India, Part I (2003), entry 1:6 Ashvagandhadyarishta, printed pages 8 and 9.[1]
| Ingredient | Botanical name | Part used | Proportion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ashvagandha (ashwagandha) | Withania somnifera | Root | 2.400 kg |
| Musali | Chlorophytum tuberosum | Root | 960 g |
| Manjishtha | Rubia cordifolia | Root | 480 g |
| Haritaki | Terminalia chebula | Pericarp | 480 g |
| Haridra (haldi) | Curcuma longa | Rhizome | 480 g |
| Daruharidra | Berberis aristata | Stem | 480 g |
| Madhuka (yashtimadhu, mulethi) | Glycyrrhiza glabra | Root | 480 g |
| Rasna | Pluchea lanceolata | Root or leaf | 480 g |
| Vidari | Pueraria tuberosa | Root tuber | 480 g |
| Partha (arjuna) | Terminalia arjuna | Stem bark | 480 g |
| Mustaka (musta) | Cyperus rotundus | Rhizome | 480 g |
| Trivrit | Ipomoea turpethum | Root | 480 g |
| Ananta (shveta sariva) | Hemidesmus indicus | Root | 384 g |
| Shyama (krishna sariva) | Cryptolepis buchanani | Root | 384 g |
| Shveta candana (white sandalwood) | Santalum album | Heartwood | 384 g |
| Rakta candana (red sandalwood) | Pterocarpus santalinus | Heartwood | 384 g |
| Vaca (vach) | Acorus calamus | Rhizome | 384 g |
| Citraka | Plumbago zeylanica | Root | 384 g |
| Water for decoction | - | - | 98.304 l, reduced to 12.288 l |
| Makshika (madhu, honey) | - | - | 14.400 kg |
| Dhataki | Woodfordia fruticosa | Flower | 768 g |
| Shunthi (dry ginger) | Zingiber officinale | Rhizome | 96 g |
| Marica (black pepper) | Piper nigrum | Fruit | 96 g |
| Pippali (long pepper) | Piper longum | Fruit | 96 g |
| Tvak (cinnamon) | Cinnamomum zeylanicum | Stem bark | 192 g |
| Ela (small cardamom) | Elettaria cardamomum | Seed | 192 g |
| Patra (tejapatra, bay leaf) | Cinnamomum tamala | Leaf | 192 g |
| Priyangu | Callicarpa macrophylla | Flower | 192 g |
| Nagakeshara | Mesua ferrea | Stamen | 96 g |
Quantities are for one batch, from the printed 2003 edition. Honey and the last nine items are added after the decoction is made. Makers' recipes can differ, so check the label.[1]
Classical source
The formulary takes the recipe from the Bhaishajya Ratnavali, Murccha Adhikara (the chapter on fainting), verses 13 to 17.[1]
What it is used for
- The formulary lists it for murccha (fainting), apasmara (epilepsy), unmada (mental illness, given as mania or psychosis) and vataroga (disorders of vata).[1]
- It also lists shosha (wasting), karshya (emaciation), arsha (piles) and agnimandya (weak digestion).[1]
What the evidence says
RCTTrial in major depression, 2024. Fifty patients at a teaching hospital took either Brahmi vati with Ashwagandharishta, or escitalopram, for 60 days. Both groups improved on depression and anxiety scales, by similar amounts. Quality of life and side-effect scores favoured the Ayurvedic pair, while sleep quality favoured escitalopram. Two medicines were given together, so the trial cannot show what Ashwagandharishta did by itself.[3]
In vitroTwelve bottles of ashwagandharishta, balarishta and dashamoolarishta from four Sri Lankan makers were tested for alcohol. They held 5.80 to 8.35% alcohol by volume. This was a lab test of products, not a study in people, and Indian brands may differ.[4]
Safety notes
- Contains alcohol. The formulary defines arishtas as preparations that ferment in sugar or jaggery and generate alcohol, which also preserves them. This matters if you avoid alcohol or have liver disease. Tell your doctor about any other medicines you take. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, ask your vaidya and your doctor before taking it.[2]
- Each batch is sweetened with 14.4 kg of honey, six times the weight of the ashwagandha root. If you have diabetes, mention it to your doctor.[1]
- Ashwagandha, the main herb, has its own interaction pages. See Ashwagandha and thyroid medicines, Ashwagandha and antidepressants, and Ashwagandha and sleep medicines.
- The recipe also contains black pepper and pippali, which have their own page: Pippali and phenytoin.
Who makes it
Sold in India by makers including Baidyanath, Patanjali (Divya). We list names so you can match your bottle to this page. We do not recommend or sell any brand.
Withheld until review
Questions people ask
Is Ashwagandharishta the same as ashwagandha?
No. It is a fermented liquid with 26 other herbs and spices besides ashwagandha, sweetened with honey, and it contains alcohol. Studies of ashwagandha capsules or powder did not test it.[1][2]
Can I take Ashwagandharishta with antidepressants?
The one trial gave it in place of escitalopram, not alongside it, so the combination was not tested there. If you take an antidepressant, tell your prescribing doctor before you start it.[3]
Related
Ashwagandha and thyroid medicines
Ashwagandha can raise thyroid hormone levels. That could add to levothyroxine, or work against antithyroid drugs.
InteractionAshwagandha and antidepressants (SSRIs, SNRIs)
Doctors in Poland reported side effects they judged were caused by ashwagandha with sertraline, escitalopram or paroxetine.
InteractionAshwagandha with sleeping pills and benzodiazepines
Not studied in people. Ashwagandha may have sedative effects that add to benzodiazepines and sleeping pills, based on preclinical work.
ConditionAnxiety and sleep problems: what Ayurveda offers
Ashwagandha extracts improved sleep a little and lowered stress scores in short trials. They were not trials in diagnosed anxiety disorder.
Sources
- Ayurvedic Formulary of India, Part I, 2nd revised English edition, 2003. Ashvagandhadyarishta, 1:6, printed pages 8-9.
- Ayurvedic Formulary of India, Part I, 2nd revised English edition, 2003. Section 1, Asava and Arishta, Definition, printed page 3.
- Sarhyal A, Chate S, Tubaki BR, Thakur R. Efficacy of Brahmi vati and Aswagandharista in major depressive disorder: a randomized controlled trial. J Ayurveda Integr Med. 2024;15(6):101022. PMID 39631219.
- Fernando N, Pigera S, Rashani N, et al. Screening for performance enhancing substances and quantification of ethanol in different Arishta manufactured in Sri Lanka. Ceylon Med J. 2020. PMID 34825559.
Awaiting review by The Good Vaidya Medical Board. Prepared from the sources below and checked against each one.
Published 4 November 2026 · Last updated 4 November 2026
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