Evidence supporting the use of: Ashwagandha
For the health condition: Backache

Links: Go back one page, Tool main page, Ingredients list, Health conditions list, Body systems list

Synopsis

Source of validity: Traditional
Rating (out of 5): 2

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) has a long-standing history of use in traditional Ayurvedic medicine for relieving pain, including backache and other musculoskeletal complaints. In Ayurveda, ashwagandha is classified as a "Rasayana" (rejuvenative) herb and is commonly prescribed to strengthen the body, reduce inflammation, and alleviate chronic pain. Traditional practitioners often recommend ashwagandha, sometimes in combination with other herbs, for conditions like backache, arthritis, and general weakness. The rationale is based on its reputed abilities to reduce "vata" (which is associated with pain and nervous system disorders) and its adaptogenic, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic effects as described in classical Ayurvedic texts.

From a scientific perspective, there is some preliminary evidence supporting ashwagandha’s anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties, which could, in theory, help with conditions associated with back pain. A few small clinical studies and animal experiments have shown that ashwagandha extracts can reduce markers of inflammation and may modestly relieve pain. However, robust, high-quality clinical trials specifically investigating ashwagandha’s effectiveness for backache are lacking. Thus, while its use for backache is primarily justified by traditional practice and some supporting mechanistic data, it is not strongly validated by modern clinical research.

In summary, ashwagandha is traditionally used for backache, and there is low to moderate supporting evidence, but more rigorous studies are needed to confirm its efficacy for this specific condition.

More about ashwagandha
More about Backache

Other ingredients used for Backache

ashwagandha
beta caryophyllene
black cumin
Indian frankincense
rice
bасора
Cannabis sativa oil
capsaicinoids
citrus oil
collagen
cowage seed
turmeric
curcumin
devil's claw
ginger
gotu kola
heartwood
hemp oil
horseradish
Indian tinospora
jujube
kudzu
magnesium
Milk
Moringa
mustard seed
spruce
omega-3 fatty acids
plantain
quail egg
rhizome
rosemary
sage
schizonepeta
scrophularia root
Sphaeranthus indicus
thyme
Almond fruit
vitamin D
vitamin D3
Water
white willow
Wild yam
sarsaparilla
Yellow root
squawvine
gastrodia
atractylodes
papaya
shen-chu
capsicum
Mugwort
nut grass
Clerodendrum indicum
Hedychium spicatum
inula racemosa
punarnava
paederia foetida
Tinospora cordifolia
blackboard tree
Caesalpinia crista
peony
Szechuan lovage
prickly ash
Morus
root tuber
silk tree
solomon's seal
siler root
amber
flowering quince
dioscorea
dodder
sweet flag
Morinda
Trichosanthes
zanthoxylum
birch
queen of the meadow
purslane
Wintergreen
Menthol oil
aster root
Gentiana macrophylla
Wood betony
paw paw
Abies spectabilis
herbal blend (proprietary)
indigo leaves
cayenne pepper
soursop
clematis
Aralia
Akebia
antler
Ardisia
Achyranthes
anamu
Abrus
Alchornea
Albizia
Aconite
Ajuga
Anserina
Aerva lanata
American Liverleaf
Alstonia scholaris
Actaea spicata
Agrimonia pilosa
Asteraceae
aspen
Abuta
Allium tuberosum
Alstonia macrophylla
Amor seco
Arani
atractylone
betony
bermuda grass
blue flag
Bryonia
Baliospermum
blackthorn
Broussonetia
Bulnesia sarmientoi
Blepharis
balsam
bishop\'s weed
Boswellic Acid
Butea monosperma
black galingale
Barleria
big quaking grass
bugbane
butternut
bogbean
Boswellia
Baccharoides anthelmintica
banyan
Black willow
ba ji tian
bee products
barbary matrimony vine
Bombax
Borassus aethiopum
black root
Bupleurum
Bassia scoparia
Black Hellebore
Bergenia
Boerhavia diffusa
borneol
Chinese silkvine
caryophyllene
Casearia esculenta
Cinnamomum
Clary sage
Chinese mountain ant
Clerodendrum trichotomum
chymopapain
coconut oil
Clerodendrum phlomidis
Cynomorium
capillary artemisia
Cyathula
Curcuminoid
carry me seed
capsaicin
cramp bark
Chinese pond turtle
Chinese raisintree
Chlorophytum
chuchuhuasi
cowherb
curcumen
Centella asiatica
coca
Campylandra fimbriata
Centipeda
corktree
Curcuma
cypress
Cornus
cannabidiol
Corydalis
costus
Collinsonia
Carthamus
colocynth
Celosia
Clerodendrum indicum
culvers Root
deer root
dragonhead
devil\'s club
David\'s milkberry
Dwarf Nettle
Dichrostachys glomerata
Dipsacus
Erythropalum scandens
Eupolyphaga sinensis
Erodium cicutarium
Evodia
elk antler
essential oil blend
elephant\'s head
European five-finger grass
Flueggea suffruticosa
fang-feng
Ficus religiosa
fernbush
Ficus simplicissima
Flemingia philippinensis
frankincense
genipap
Gnaphalium
Growth factors
golden eye-grass
giant blazingstar
Glechoma hederacea
garden cress
Galbanum
golden shower tree
Golden Willow
Guazuma ulmifolia
heal-all
Homalomena
Helicteres isora
Herb Robert
hemp
Huang hua
Harpagoside
iridoids
iridoid glycosides
Ilex
Indian coraltree
long pepper
Indian kinotree
Indian fagonia
Japanese kadsura
Japanese waxtree
joe-pye
Jatoba
Javanese Long Pepper
Kokilaksha
Lebbek
Ledebouriella
Lesser speargrass
Lilium polyphyllum
Lophira lanceolata
ligustilides
lodhtree
Lindera
Ligustrazin
Lycopodium
Leptadenia
Large-leaved linden
little ironweed
Loranthus
Lysimachia
Ligusticum
Mezoneuron benthamianum
Mountain Pepper
Mustard
Marjoram
mallow
Malay bush
Malva sylvestris
Mountain mahogany
Matapalo Tree
Mountain pride
Momordica
Meadow sage
Milkweed
Meadowsweet
Manchurian thorn
Nardostachys
Nigella seed
Night jessamine
Nymphaea nouchali
Nutmeg
Ocotillo
Oroxylum indicum
Onosma bracteatum
Oxystelma
Phyllanthus
Premna
Piper chaba
Psacalium peltatum
Pulsatilla
prepared aconite tuber
Prunus
Pentacyclic triterpenoids
Pepper
Peucedanum
Pansit-pansitan
Pyrrosia
Piper nigrum
Polygonatum
poppy
Physalis angulata
Petiveria
Plectranthus amboinicus
Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA)
Qin Jiao
Queen's Delight
Rubus
Rubiaceae
reed herb
ricinoleic acid
Sichuan Lovage
Sicklepod
Sophora
Sesbania
Speedwell
Spanish Needle
Scoparia dulcis
Sete sangrias
Smartweed
Solanaceae
Spikenard
Serrapeptase
Salicin
Salvia
Sensitive Plant
Southern Tsangshu
Solanum indicum
Sickle-leaf hare's ear
Sarivan
Solanum anguivi
Sagebrush
Spantholobus
Stellaria dichotoma
Sida cordifolia
Semecarpus anacardium
Stereospermum
Stachytarpheta cayennensis
Sumac
Shataverins
Sweet Bay
Sandy Everlasting
Stone Root
Sword Bean
Sedanenolide
Terminalia
Taxillus chinensis
Tayuya
Takuna
Turtle Head
Tulbaghia
Tamarind
Tetrahydropalmatine
Vervain
Wax Gourd
Water Pepper
Willow
Wulinshen
Winter Savory
Xanthophyll
Yuzu
Yerba buena
Yellow-Fruit Nightshade
Zucchini
Zingiberene
Zingerone

Other health conditions supported by ashwagandha

Addictions (drugs)
Addictions (general remedies for)
Adrenal Fatigue
Afterbirth Pain
Aging (prevention)
Alcoholism
Allergies (respiratory)
Alzheimer's Disease
Amenorrhea
Anemia
Angina
Anorexia
Anxiety
Anxiety Disorders
Appetite (deficient)
Anger (excessive)
Arthritis
Asthma
Athletic and Exercise Aids
Attention Deficit Disorder
Autoimmune Disorders
Backache
Bedwetting
Body Building
Cancer (natural therapy for)
Cancer (prevention)
Cancer Treatment (reducing side effects)
Cholesterol (high)
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder
Circulation (poor)
Concentration (poor)
Depression
Diabetes
Digestion (poor)
Emotional Sensitivity
Endurance (lack of)
Energy (lack of)
Epilepsy
Erectile Dysfunction
Exercise
Fatigue
Fear (excessive)
Fibromyalgia Syndrome
Goiter
Grief and Sadness
Hair (graying)
Hair (loss or thinning)
Hair Care (general)
Headache (general)
Headache (tension)
Heart (weakness)
Hot Flashes
Hypertension
Hypothyroid
Hysteria
Infertility
Inflammation
Insomnia
Irritability
Leucorrhea
Lyme Disease
Memory and Brain Function
Menopause
Menorrhagia
Menstrual Irregularity
Menstruation (scant)
Mental Illness
Migraine
Miscarriage (prevention)
Mood Swings
Muscle Tone (lack of)
Nervous Exhaustion
Nervousness
Neurosis
Nightmares
Nocturnal Emission
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Osteoporosis
Pain (general remedies for)
Parkinson's Disease
Peripheral Neuropathy
Pets (supplements for)
PMS (general)
PMS Type C
PMS Type D
Post Partum Depression
Post Partum Weakness
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Premature Ejaculation
Prolapsed Uterus
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Sex Drive (low)
Sleep (restless and disturbed)
Stress
Syphilis
Tension
Testosterone (low)
Thinking (cloudy)
TMJ
Tremors
Triglycerides (high)
Tuberculosis
Vitiligo
Weight Gain
Weight Loss
Worry
Wounds and Sores