Fact-check
Is ashwagandha banned in India?
Last checked 10 October 2026
Ashwagandha is not banned: the root is permitted, but the Ministry of AYUSH's letter of 15 Apr 2026 prohibits ashwagandha leaves in any form in ASU products, and FSSAI's advisory of 16 Apr 2026 extends that to food and health supplements.
- Classification
- Restricted under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 (ASU and homoeopathic provisions)
- Decided by
- Ministry of AYUSH; FSSAI
- Reference
- Ministry of AYUSH letter of 15 Apr 2026, file T-13020/4/2022-DCC-Part(2); FSSAI advisory of 16 Apr 2026, F. No. RCD-15001/11/2021
- Latest action
- 16 April 2026
- Last checked
- 10 October 2026
Photo: Ashwagandha Roots.jpg by Piyush Kothari (CC BY-SA 4.0). All photo credits.
FSSAI advisory on non use of ashwagandha leaves in food products, reproducing the Ministry of AYUSH letter of 15 Apr 2026
Scope. A record here does not by itself mean a product or company is unsafe or banned today. Regulatory actions can apply to one batch, one formulation, one period or one state. Always check the linked government document for the current position, and tell us if something is out of date. How we label records.
Below: Blacklisted's explanationWe organise and explain what the document says. The document above is the authority.
Key facts
- Root
- Permitted in ASU products
- Leaves
- 'Strictly prohibited' in crude, extract or any other form in ASU products (AYUSH letter, 15 Apr 2026)
- Food
- FSSAI advisory of 16 Apr 2026 extends the same position to food products and health supplements
- Basis
- The AYUSH letter cites a 2024 safety dossier and an earlier advisory of 6 Oct 2021 (L.11011/9/2021-DCC)
Where the claim comes from
Searches pair 'ashwagandha banned' with Denmark, Europe and the UK because Denmark has restricted ashwagandha supplements. The Indian 2026 action is narrower: it concerns the leaves, not the plant or the root.
Ashwagandha is not banned in India. What is prohibited is one part of the plant. In a letter of 15 Apr 2026 (file T-13020/4/2022-DCC-Part(2)) the Ministry of AYUSH said ashwagandha leaves, in crude form, as an extract or in any other form, are strictly prohibited in ayurvedic, siddha and unani products, and that only the root is permitted.
FSSAI reproduced that letter in an advisory of 16 Apr 2026 (F. No. RCD-15001/11/2021) and extended the same position to food products and health supplements. The AYUSH letter cites a 2024 safety dossier and an earlier advisory of 6 Oct 2021.
The documents we read do not name any brand or product, and they do not say what action will follow for products that already contain leaf. Searches that link ashwagandha with Denmark, Europe, the UAE or the UK refer to other countries' rules; our sources cover India only.
What this means for you
Check the part used
A product made from ashwagandha root is within the rules. A product that lists leaf, leaf extract or 'aerial parts' is the thing the 2026 letter prohibits.
Two regulators, one position
AYUSH covers ayurvedic, siddha and unani products. FSSAI covers food and supplements. Both now say the same: root only.
This is a record of official orders, not medical advice. Do not stop a prescribed medicine without asking your doctor or pharmacist.
Common questions
Is ashwagandha root banned in India?
No. The AYUSH letter of 15 Apr 2026 says only the root is permitted in ASU products.
Is ashwagandha banned in the UK, UAE or Europe?
Our sources cover India only. Denmark has restricted ashwagandha supplements; we have no source for the UK, the UAE or the EU as a whole, so we do not state their position.
Official sources and primary records
- FSSAI advisory on non use of ashwagandha leaves in food products, reproducing the Ministry of AYUSH letter of 15 Apr 2026RegulatorFSSAI · 16 April 2026