Global Experts Highlight Ashwagandha’s Scientific Promise at WHO Summit 2025

Titled “Ashwagandha: From Traditional Wisdom to Global Impact – Perspectives from Leading Global Experts,” the session focused on building credibility and enhancing global acceptance of Ashwagandha.

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera)—one of Ayurveda’s most esteemed Rasayana herbs—took centre stage at a high-level international side event during the 2nd WHO Global Traditional Medicine Summit 2025, held at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.The session reaffirmed India’s leadership in shaping global discourse on traditional medicine through scientific validation, regulatory dialogue and international collaboration.

Organised jointly by the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre (WHO-GTMC) and the Ministry of Ayush, the event brought together leading global experts, regulators, researchers, and policymakers to examine the evolving scientific, safety and regulatory landscape surrounding Ashwagandha—now gaining strong global traction for its adaptogenic, neuroprotective and immunomodulatory benefits.

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Bridging Traditional Wisdom with Scientific Evidence

Titled “Ashwagandha: From Traditional Wisdom to Global Impact – Perspectives from Leading Global Experts,” the session focused on building credibility and enhancing global acceptance of Ashwagandha.

Experts highlighted the need for:

• Rigorous preclinical and clinical trials

• Standardisation of extracts and formulations

• Robust safety assessment and pharmacovigilance

• Harmonised regulatory frameworks

• Reproducible product quality across markets

As Ashwagandha’s international popularity surges, speakers emphasized that scientific rigor must go hand-in-hand with traditional knowledge to ensure safe, responsible and evidence-based global use.

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Insights from Leading International Authorities

Moderated by Dr. J.B. Gupta, Secretary, World Ashwagandha Council, the session featured keynote addresses from global experts shaping the future of herbal medicine research:

Dr. Roy Upton, American Herbal Pharmacopoeia

• Highlighted global quality benchmarks, authentication methods and therapeutic applications.

• Stressed the need for validated identity and purity standards.

Ms. Mari Lyyra, Medfiles Ltd., Finland

• Presented Europe’s evolving regulatory environment for botanical supplements.

• Noted growing acceptance and market expansion for Ashwagandha-based products.

Dr. Ikhlas Khan, National Center for Natural Products Research, USA

• Emphasised methodological rigor in clinical and pharmacological studies.

• Highlighted the importance of strong scientific evidence for regulatory decision-making.

Dr. Geetha Krishnan, WHO-GTMC

• Discussed balancing global enthusiasm for Ashwagandha with necessary scientific precaution.

• Highlighted WHO’s aim to support responsible international adoption.

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Panel Discussions Stress Global Standards, Safety and Research Collaboration

A dynamic interactive panel brought together experts who exchanged candid insights on:

• Harmonising global quality and safety standards

• Ensuring reproducible therapeutic efficacy

• Strengthening industry–academia–regulator collaboration

• Advancing evidence-based Ashwagandha formulations

• Protecting traditional knowledge while enabling innovation

The session concluded with consensus that continued international collaboration is essential to position Ashwagandha within mainstream healthcare systems without compromising traditional integrity.

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A Global Shift Toward Integrating Traditional Medicine

The discussions reflected a wider global movement—championed by WHO—to:

• Integrate traditional medicine into modern health systems

• Align policies around safety, quality and efficacy

• Promote innovation rooted in cultural knowledge

• Support sustainable, evidence-driven development of traditional remedies

The WHO Global Traditional Medicine Summit continues to serve as a global platform for constructive dialogue, scientific cooperation and policy alignment across countries.