Evidence supporting the use of: Ashwagandha
For the health condition: Pain (general remedies for)

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Synopsis

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

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) has a long history of use in traditional Ayurvedic medicine as a general remedy for pain, particularly for conditions involving chronic pain, inflammation, and rheumatism. Ayurvedic practitioners have utilized ashwagandha root extracts for centuries to alleviate discomfort associated with arthritis, muscle pain, and even nerve-related pain. Traditional texts often describe ashwagandha as a “rasayana” (rejuvenator) and “balya” (strength-promoting) herb, believed to restore balance and reduce pain through its adaptogenic and anti-inflammatory properties.

Scientific evidence supporting ashwagandha’s analgesic (pain-relieving) effects is growing but remains limited and mostly preliminary. Animal studies have demonstrated that ashwagandha root extracts may reduce pain and inflammation, possibly through modulation of inflammatory pathways and inhibition of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Some small human studies suggest potential benefits for pain reduction, particularly in osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, but these studies often have methodological limitations such as small sample sizes and lack of rigorous controls. Overall, while traditional use is well documented and biological plausibility exists, robust clinical trials confirming its efficacy for general pain management in humans are still lacking.

In summary, ashwagandha’s use for pain is primarily justified by traditional practices, with emerging but not definitive scientific support. Individuals interested in using ashwagandha for pain should consult a healthcare professional, particularly if taking other medications or managing chronic conditions.

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Other ingredients used for Pain (general remedies for)

3-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)prop-2-enoic acid
Abies spectabilis
Abrus
Abuta
Acer truncatum
Achyranthes
Aconite
Actaea spicata
Aerva lanata
Agarwood
Agastache
Agmatine
Agonandra
Agrimonia pilosa
Agrimony
Ajuga
Akebia
Albizia
Alchemilla
Alchornea
Alcohol
Allspice
Allyl isothiocyanate
alpha-humulene
alpha-pinene
alpha-terpineol
alpinia galangal
Alseodaphne andersonii
Alstonia macrophylla
Alstonia scholaris
amber
American Liverleaf
American Pawpaw
Amomum
Amor seco
Andrographis
andrographolide
anemarrhena asphodeloides
Anemone
angel\'s trumpet
Angostura
anise
Anserina
antler
Antrodia camphorata
Aquilegia formosa
Aquilegia viridiflora
Aralia
Arani
argan nut oil
Arisaema
arjun tree
arjuna
arjunic acid
arnica
asafoetida
Asam gelugor
asarabacca
Asarum heterotropoides
Ashoka
ashwagandha
aspen
aster root
atractylodes
atractylone
aucubin
Auricularia
ba ji tian
Baccharis dracunculifolia
bael
Baikal Skullcap
Baliospermum
bamboo
banyan
baobab
barbary matrimony vine
barbasco
barberry
Barleria
barrenwort
Bassia scoparia
Bauhinia
bee venom
benegut perilla (proprietary)
benfotiamine
Berberis (unspecified)
Bergenia
bergenin
beta caryophyllene
beta-pinene
betel
bethroot
betony
bindweed
biota seed
birch
bisabolene
bistort
bittersweet
black ginger
black gram
Black Hellebore
black pepper
black root
Black spruce
Black willow
blackthorn
bleeding heart
Blepharis
blubber oil
blue flag
bogbean
boneset
borage
Borassus aethiopum
Boswellia
Boswellic Acid
bottle gourd
Bougainvillea
Brazilian peppertree
breadnut
bromelain
Bryonia
bugbane
Bulnesia sarmientoi
Bupleurum
bupleurum falcatum
burdock
burning bush
butternut
cabbage leaf
cactus
cajuput
calamus
Calendula
California False Hellebore
California poppy
California redbud
Calotropis gigantea
Calycophyllum
camphor oil
Campylandra fimbriata
camu camu
cannabidiol
Cannabidiolic acid
cannabinol
capers
cardamom
Carlina
carrapicho
Casearia esculenta
Casearia sylvestris
cashew
cassia bark
catnip
celandine
Celastrus
celery
Centella asiatica
Centella triterpenes
Cetylated Fatty Acids
Ceylon leadwort
Chaenomeles lagenaria
chaff flower
chen pi
Chenopodium
cherimoya
cherry
Chilean wildnut
Chinese fleeceflower
Chinese Ligustrum berry
Chinese mountain ant
Chinese pond turtle
Chinese salvia root
Chiococca alba
chuchuhuasi
chymotrypsin
cinnamic acid
cinquefoil
Cissus quadrangularis
Cissus sicyoides
cistanche
Cistus
citron
clematis
Clerodendrum indicum
Clerodendrum phlomidis
Cnidium
coca
Codonopsis
cola nut
collagen
Collinsonia
colocynth
copaiba oil
cordyceps
corktree
Corydalis
cowslip
cramp bark
cranesbill
Crinum latifolium
cubeb
Cucurbita
culvers Root
cumin
cupuacu
curcumin
currant
Cyanthillium cinereum
Cyathula
Cymbidium goeringii
Cymbopogon martini
Cynanchum
Cynodon dactylon
Cynomorium
cypress
D-phenylalanine
danshen
deer root
dendrobine
dense fruit dittany
devil's claw
diallyl disulfide (DADS)
diallyl trisulfide (DATS)
dianthrone
Dicentra formosa
Didymocarpus
dill
Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)
Dimorphandra gardneriana
Dimorphandra mollis
dioscorea
Dipsacus
divi-divi
dodeca-2E, 4E, 8Z, 10Z/tetraenoic acid isobutylamide
dodeca-2E, 4E-dienoic acid isobutylamide
dog rose
Dolichos
dwarf morning glory
Echinodorus
elemi
elk antler
Embelia
emblicanin
emu oil
English horsemint
enzyme blend
Erigeron
Erythrina
Erythropalum scandens
eugenol
Eupatorium
European Elder
Euryale seed
Evodia
Fagopyrum
fang-feng
fennel
fenugreek
fernbush
Ficus religiosa
fiesta flower
fig
finger-leaf morning glory
fireweed
flaxseed
flowering quince
Fomitopsis pinicola
frankincense
fringetree
fritillary
fruit blend (proprietary)
Fumaria parviflora
fungal enzymes blend (proprietary)
Galbanum
garden cress
Gardenia jasminoides
Gelsemium
Gentiana macrophylla
Gentianella alborosea
geraniol
geranium
giant trillium
ginger
golden eye-grass
golden ragwort
golden shower tree
Golden Willow
goldenrod
goldthread
gooseberry
gotu kola
grains of paradise
Graviola
Guazuma ulmifolia
haliotis
Harpagoside
hartstongue
Heartsease
Hedychium spicatum
Hellebore
Hemidesmus
Hempnettle
Homalomena
honey loquat syrup
honeysuckle
horse gram
huckleberry
Hypericum
Hyperoside
hyssop
Indian frankincense
Indian nightshade
Indian pipe
inula racemosa
Iporuru
iridoid glycosides
isobutylamides
Japanese kadsura
Japanese sophora
Japanese waxtree
Jatoba
Javanese Long Pepper
joe-pye
judastree
jujube
juniper berries
Kalanchoe pinnatum
Khella
Kigelia africana
knotgrass
kudzu
L-phenylalanine
Labdanum
Lactucarium
Lactucopicrin
Lady of the Night
Large-leaved linden
Lavandin
Ledebouriella
Leptadenia
Lespedeza capitata
Lesser speargrass
Lilium polyphyllum
lily
limonene
linden
Lindera
Liquidambar taiwaniana
Lophira lanceolata
loquat
Loranthus
lotus
lotus seed
lovage
lupulinum
Lysimachia
mace
Maclura tricuspidata
madder
magnesium
Malay bush
Manchurian thorn
mandrake
mangostin
manzanita
Marjoram
Marsh Tea
Matapalo Tree
Mate
Matico
Maytenus ilicifolia
Maytenus krukovii
Meadow sage
Meadowsweet
Mentha haplocalyx
Mesua
Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM)
Mezoneuron benthamianum
Microtea debilis
Millettia
Mimosa
Mint
Mistletoe
Monkey flower
Morus
Mountain mahogany
Mountain pride
Mulberry
Myrcene
Myrobalan
Nardostachys
Nettle
New Jersey Tea
Night jessamine
noni
Nordihydrocapsaicin
Oak
Ocotillo
okra
Oldenlandia diffusa
Operculina turpethum
orange
orchid
Osmanthus
Otoba
Oxindole alkaloids
paederia foetida
paeoniflorin
Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA)
Palmyra
Palo Azul
Pareira
Pasuchaca
Patchouli oil
Paullinia tomentosa
Pea
peach
Pellitory
Pentatropis capensis
Pepper Bark Tree
Peppermint
perilla
Persimmon
Petasines
Phlomis umbrosa
Phragmites
Phthalides
Pimpinella
Piper chaba
Piper retrofractum
Piperine
pistacia integerrima gall
Plectranthus amboinicus
Plukenetia volubilis
Plumbago zeylanica
Plumeria lancifolia
pogoda tree
polygala root
Polypodium
poppy
Potentilla
Premna
prickly ash
Prosopis
protease
proteolytic enzymes
Psacalium peltatum
Pterospermum
Pulsatilla
pumpkin
purslane
pussywillow
Pycnogenol
Qin Jiao
quail egg
queen of the meadow
radish
reishi mushroom
Rhododendron
Rhus coriaria
Rooibos
root tuber
Rosa laevigata
Rosa roxburghii
rose
rose oil
Rubia cordifolia
Rubiaceae
Rubus
rutin
Safed musli
saffron
sage
Salicin
Salmon Oil
Sandy Everlasting
Sanguisorba
Sanicle
Sarcandra glabra
Sargassum
sarsaparilla
Sassafras
Savory
Scimitar bean
Scoparia dulcis
Scopoletin
sea salt
Semecarpus anacardium
Shataverins
shepherd's purse
Sichuan pepper
Sida cordifolia
silk tree
Silkmoth
Sinapis arvensis
Skunkvine
Slippery Elm
smilax
Snakeroot
Soft rush
Solanum anguivi
solomon's seal
soursop
Southernwood
Spatholobus
specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs)
Speedwell
Spikenard
Spilanthes
Spiraea
spruce
Stachytarpheta cayennensis
star of Bethlehem
Stephania root
Stone Root
Storax
strawberry
Sumbul
Sweet Bay
Sweet Clover
Sweet Orange alcohol
sweetgums
Swertia
Szechuan lovage
Takuna
Taraxacum
Tasmannia lanceolata
Taxillus chinensis
Taxillus sutchuenensis
teasel
Tetrahydropalmatine
Teucrium marum
Toadflax
Tonka Bean
Trailing Arbutus
Traveler's Joy
Tree of heaven
turmeric
Turtle Head
typhonium
Vanilla
Verbena
Veronica
Vervain
Vetiver
Viburnum
vitamin D
Walnut
Watercress
Waterhyssop
Weak Jumby Pepper
White oak
white willow
Willow
Willow Bracket
Wintergreen
Wood betony
Yarrow
Yellow Dock
Yellow Nut Sedge
Yellow root
Yellow-Fruit Nightshade
Yerba Mansa
Yerba mate
Yucca
Yuzu
Zapilopatle Bean
zhejiang fritillary
Zingibain

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