Withanolides

When ashwagandha is taken, withanolides produce a notable sense of calm and an improved ability to cope with stress. Withanolide-derived metabolites are believed to contribute to the deep physiological effects documented by Ayurvedic practitioners. A 2018 study directly compared compound profiles in ashwagandharishta against standard ashwagandha alcohol tinctures. A 2018 study in the journal Ancient Science of Life found that ashwagandharishta contains withanolide derivatives entirely absent in standard ashwagandha alcohol tinctures. Withanolides reduce cortisol and DHEA output and restore the HPA feedback loop. Withanolides are the main chemical compounds in ashwagandha responsible for its stress-adaptation effects, comprising approximately 300 related steroidal lactone compounds.