Adolescent rats exposed to chronic stress had reduced signs of depression after taking the herbal supplement ashwagandha, according to a new study published in . psychopharmacology. The study found that the herb not only alleviated behavioral symptoms, but also reduced inflammation and cell damage in the brain, an effect that in some cases exceeded that of the antidepressant sertraline.
Although adolescent depression is becoming increasingly common, treatment options remain limited and are often associated with side effects. Scientists have known for years that chronic stress can disrupt brain function by increasing inflammation, damaging nerve cells, and reducing levels of proteins that support healthy brain activity. These biological changes are thought to contribute to the emotional and cognitive symptoms seen in depression.
Ashwagandha is a plant widely used in traditional Indian medicine that has gained attention for its stress-reducing properties. Previous studies in adults and animal models suggest that it may help regulate the body’s stress response and protect brain cells. But until now, no studies have looked at whether ashwagandha can help young people, whose developing brains may respond differently to both stress and treatment.
Researchers led by Gul Sahika Gökdemir of Mardin Altuklu University in Turkey conducted a study on 28 male adolescent rats. Most rats were exposed to a 17-day protocol of unpredictable mild stressors, such as wet bedding, overnight fasting, and short periods of restraint, designed to mimic the unpredictable pressures that can cause depression.
To properly evaluate treatment, some of these stressed rats were left untreated for baseline depression, while others received daily oral doses of either sertraline or ashwagandha, commonly prescribed antidepressants. The control group did not feel any stress.
The team then evaluated the animals using standard behavioral tests. Untreated stressed rats showed typical signs of depression. They drank less sugary water (a sign of decreased pleasure), stayed motionless for longer during the forced swim test (a sign of desperate behavior), and had more anxiety-like responses during the maze test. Both sertraline and ashwagandha improved performance on measures of pleasure and hopelessness in treated rats, suggesting potent antidepressant-like effects. My anxiety levels improved slightly, but not significantly.
In addition to behavior, the researchers also looked at the rats’ brain tissue. Stress sharply increased the levels of inflammatory molecules (such as TNF-α) and proteins associated with cell death (Bax and caspase-3). Levels of BDNF, a protein essential for healthy brain function, also decreased, as did the number of supporting glial cells known as astrocytes.
Ashwagandha reduced cell death markers and inflammation much more effectively than sertraline, returning them to levels similar to healthy controls and successfully restoring glial cell levels. However, the researchers noted that while ashwagandha significantly prevented cell death, its ability to restore depleted BDNF levels was only borderline. Additionally, the herb prevented the weight loss typically seen in stressed animals, but this protective effect was not extended to sertraline.
Microscopic examination of the brain revealed swelling and structural destruction in the fronto-parietal cortex of stressed rats.
“We focused on the frontoparietal cortex because of its role in cognitive and emotional processes. This region is involved in attention regulation, decision-making, and emotional control processes, and its function is often impaired during depression,” Gokdemir and the research team noted.
These abnormalities were significantly reduced in the ashwagandha-treated group, whose brain tissue was more similar to that of the healthy control group.
Although the results of this study are promising, the authors caution that the study was conducted only in male adolescent rats, and the results may be different in females or humans due to hormonal differences. They also point out that the brain regions investigated were wide-ranging and future studies should focus on specific subregions to better understand how ashwagandha exerts its neuroprotective effects.
The study, “Antidepressant-like effects of ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) on chronic unpredictable mild stress-induced depression in adolescent rats,” was authored by Gul Sahika Gokdemir, Ugur Seker, Nazan Baksi, Mukadder Baylan, Berjan Demirtaş, and Mehmet Tahir Gokdemir.
