Why India's Ban on Ashwagandha Leaf Extract Is the Best Thing to Happen to This Industry in Years

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) has been a cornerstone of Ayurvedic medicine for more than 5,000 years. Translated roughly as "smell of horse" — referencing both its scent and its capacity to impart the strength and vitality of a horse — this adaptogenic root has historically been used to calm the nervous system, support hormonal balance, and promote overall vitality.

The operative word there is root. Every classical Ayurvedic text specifies the root of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera). The leaf was never part of the traditional therapeutic canon for internal use. It was simply not what traditional practitioners used, because they understood, through centuries of empirical observation, that the root and the leaf are pharmacologically very different things.

Somewhere along the way, as global demand for ashwagandha supplements exploded into a multi-billion-dollar market, a troubling substitution began happening quietly in supply chains around the world.

As of April 15, 2026, the Government of India's Ministry of Ayush has strictly enforced the mandatory use of ashwagandha roots in extracts, prohibiting the use of ashwagandha leaves in supplement drugs and products. This comes after a long regulatory build-up. The ban is the culmination of a five-year process that started in 2021, when manufacturers were instructed not to use leaves in their products, citing that the root has a long history of use, while there is no substantial evidence to endorse the efficacy and safety of the leaf.

In 2024, a government expert committee released a safety dossier concluding that the root is safe when used as directed, while the leaf presents risk concerns. Reinforcing this, India's Food Safety and Standards Authority (FSSAI) referenced Schedule IV of the Health Supplements, Nutraceuticals, and Food for Special Dietary Use regulations, which provides the list of botanicals permitted for use in such products, and ashwagandha leaf is not among them.

Why does an Indian regulatory action matter to consumers in the United States, Europe, or anywhere else? 

Because India is the source. As one industry expert noted, when India defines what ashwagandha must be at the point of origin, that definition travels with every consignment, meaning the root-only standard now shapes not just products sold domestically, but the raw material feeding finished products on shelves across North America, Europe, and dozens of other markets.

This is where I want to be very precise, because I speak not only as a physician but as a clinical herbalist who has studied botanical medicine rigorously.

Virtually all clinical research on ashwagandha's benefits has been conducted using root extracts. The evidence for ashwagandha's well-known effects on stress, cortisol, sleep, and cognitive function comes entirely from root-based research.

A landmark double-blind, placebo-controlled study published in the Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine demonstrated that ashwagandha root extract produced significant stress reduction and a 27.9% decrease in serum cortisol levels after 60 days. A separate 24-week prospective randomized trial published through the NIH demonstrated that ashwagandha root extract produced significant improvements in perceived stress scores, quality of life, and stress-related eating behaviors, with only mild, self-resolving adverse events reported, confirming it as a safe and effective approach for stress reduction.

A clinical study published in Phytotherapy Research specifically evaluated ashwagandha's impact on hair: this prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial assessed standardized ashwagandha root extract (300 mg twice daily) in participants with hair loss and found the ashwagandha root group demonstrated substantial improvement in hair-related parameters, including density, growth rate, anagen phase, telogen phase, and anagen-to-telogen ratio.

Not one of these studies used leaf extract. There is no comparable body of clinical evidence supporting ashwagandha leaf extract for stress management, cortisol reduction, sleep improvement, or hair health. None. If a brand is marketing a leaf-containing product with these claims, that marketing is not supported by clinical science.

Ashwagandha leaf contains significantly more withaferin A (22.31 mg/g) and withanone (19 mg/g) compared to the root (0.92 mg/g and 3 mg/g, respectively). Withaferin A is a cytotoxic compound that has been studied with genuine scientific interest for potential anti-cancer applications. But cytotoxic means it can kill cells. That is exactly what you want in a targeted cancer therapy. It is not what you want coursing through your system every day from a daily wellness supplement.

Research has linked ashwagandha leaf extracts to liver toxicity and gastrointestinal issues, and some studies suggest potential neurotoxic effects from concentrated leaf extracts. Indian regulators specifically cited safety concerns linked to higher concentrations of withaferin A in the leaves, which have been discussed in scientific literature for potential adverse effects at elevated levels.

As a board-certified surgeon, the principle I return to is always the same: first, do no harm. A supplement ingredient with no clinical proof of benefit and documented safety concerns at elevated concentrations has no place in a daily wellness product. India's regulators arrived at the same conclusion.

*Note: The ban on ashwagandha leaf extract by India’s FSSAI has a clear intent for regulating the adulteration in Ayurvedic food and supplements, but the ban is not yet enforceable and is currently subject to a legal challenge.