Ayurvedic Ingredients: Ashwagandha, Turmeric, Bacopa, Triphala and Where to Find Each Guide

How to use this page

Ayurveda is a traditional medical system of the Indian subcontinent, and several of its commonly used plants are now sold as supplements worldwide. This page is a signpost: it gives a short, evidence-labeled summary of each ingredient and sends you to the guide that owns the topic. It does not tell you what or how much to take. Before using any of them, read medicine interactions, pregnancy and children and product quality and heavy metals.

Evidence labels: promising but limited, insufficient evidence, traditional use only, evidence of harm (rare, specific).

Ashwagandha

The US National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) says ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) has been used as a medicinal plant for thousands of years, especially in traditional Ayurvedic medicine. [1] That is traditional use. In research, it says some preparations may help insomnia and stress, and that effects on anxiety are unclear. [2] Label: promising but limited.

Safety points from NCCIH: avoid in pregnancy and while breastfeeding; rare reports link it to liver injury; possible interactions with medicines for diabetes and high blood pressure, immunosuppressants, sedatives, anti-seizure medicines and thyroid hormone medicines. [3] [4] [5] [6] A 2026 review of case reports supports the existence of rare, idiosyncratic liver injury, usually recovering after stopping. [7]

Full guides: adaptogen types, adaptogen safety and adaptogen research.

Turmeric (and curcumin)

NCCIH says turmeric has been used in several traditional medicine systems including Ayurveda. [8] It also says we do not know enough to definitively conclude that turmeric or curcumin helps any health purpose. [9] Initial osteoarthritis results are positive but need higher-quality studies. [10] Label: promising but limited / insufficient evidence, depending on the use. Liver damage has been reported with highly bioavailable curcumin products, and supplements may be unsafe in pregnancy. [11] [12]

Full guides: turmeric and curcumin supplements.

Bacopa (brahmi)

Bacopa monnieri has a long history in Ayurvedic medicine for neurological and behavioral conditions. [13] A meta-analysis of nine trials (518 people) [14] suggested possible benefit for speed of attention, [15] and the authors said a large, well-designed head-to-head trial is needed. [16] Another systematic review found some evidence for memory free recall and little for other thinking skills. [17] Label: promising but limited. Trials in children are few and need replication. [18]

Full guides: botanical and mushroom nootropics and nootropic evidence by outcome.

Triphala (covered briefly here)

Triphala is an Ayurvedic herbal combination. We do not yet have a stand-alone Triphala guide on this site, so here is what the research we read says:

We did not find a verified source on Triphala in pregnancy or its interactions with medicines, so assume caution and ask a pharmacist.

Other Ayurvedic ingredients

Ginger, licorice, tulsi and shilajit also appear in Ayurvedic practice. See ginger, licorice root tea, tulsi tea and shilajit. See herbs by type for others.

Related pages

• Ayurvedic herbal preparations
• Ayurveda: evidence by specific practice