Abstract
There have been reports of liver damage linked to Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal. These reports have caused several countries to ban the use of this plant. Adverse liver reactions can be intrinsic or idiosyncratic and include possible adulteration. Known adulterants include aflatoxins, pyrrolizidine alkaloids, heavy metals and incorrect species or incorrect plant part. Moreover W. somnifera is traditionally produced as an aqueous extract and using different extraction techniques may alter the known safety profile. The aim of this investigation was to highlight quality deficiencies in these products. We sampled W. somnifera from internet sources and subjected the samples to a comprehensive quality analysis. Samples were analysed using HPTLC, NIR and HPLC methods, comparing strengths and weaknesses of the different techniques. We also analysed for tablet hardness and friability and checked samples for label compliance. The W. somnifera samples showed marked variation in both composition and concentration of metabolites. Some samples contained very low amounts of important withanolides. Over 90% of the samples did not conform to national requirements for labelling, including making illegal claims. The results highlight poor quality and variability of products available through the internet. Although no leaf material was found in the root samples, our analysis showed that different extraction techniques resulted in a different chemical profile to the aqueous extraction profile that is traditionally used for this plant. The quality of W. somnifera products is highly variable and different extraction methods produce end products that contain different compounds to the traditionally produced KSM66 aqueous extract [ 1 ]. Publication History Article published online: 05 March 2026 © 2026. Thieme. All rights reserved. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Oswald-Hesse-Straße 50, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany