Table 1
Inclusion criteria.
| WEB SEARCH ENGINES | PUBMED, SCIENCE DIRECT, SCOPUS, AND WEB OF SCIENCE |
|---|---|
| Publishing period | 2011–2025 |
| Keyword | Physical exercise, ashwagandha, and oxidative stress |
| Language Type of article | English Original research article |
| Full Text | Articles matched the purpose and/or topic of the research. |
Figure 1
PRISMA flowchart of the article selection process.
Table 2
Summary of the design and intervention of the studies.
| AUTHOR | DESIGN | PARTICIPANTS | INTERVENTION | OUTCOME |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (Babu et al., 2025) | Experimental | 24 rats |
| MDA levels significantly decreased p < 0.05. |
| (Kuchewar et al., 2014) | Experimental | 30 healthy volunteers |
| Higher SOD levels and lower MDA levels. |
| (Priyanka et al., 2020) | Experimental | 24 healthy horses |
| SOD levels increased and cortisol levels decreased following ashwagandha administration. |
| (Sajid et al., 2025) | Experimental | 14 mice | From the day of the nerve lesion until the study’s conclusion, mice in the treatment group received an oral dose of ashwagandha at a rate of 25 mg/kg body weight. | Total antioxidant status significantly increased and total oxidant status significantly decreased. |
| (Wankhede et al., 2015) | Experimental | participants |
| As evidenced by the stabilization of blood creatine kinase, ashwagandha also significantly decreased exercise-induced muscle damage. |
| (Hashem et al., 2023) | Experimental | Thirty-six mature male Wistar albino rats in good health | Multiple dosages of supplementation were administered to the male Wistar albino rats, including 100 mg/kg body weight, 150 mg/kg body weight, and 200 mg/kg body weight. | All dosages of ashwagandha administration raised SOD and total antioxidant levels while lowering MDA levels. |
| (Tuzcuet al., 2024) | Experimental | Twenty-eight rats were divided into four groups |
| The combined formulation containing curcumin, ashwagandha, and BSE increased antioxidant enzyme activity. |
| (Bharani et al., 2024) | Experimental | Twenty apparently healthy dogs |
| MDA levels significantly decreased following ashwagandha administration. In addition, antioxidant markers such as SOD and glutathione increased markedly, accompanied by a significant reduction in serum cortisol levels. |
| (Bhargavan et al., 2015) | Experimental | Adult male Wistar |
| MDA levels significantly decreased following the administration of ashwagandha supplements. |
| (Anwer et al., 2012) | Experimental | Wistar albino rat |
| Ashwagandha administration significantly increased antioxidant enzyme activities (GPx, GR, GST, SOD, and CAT) compared with type 2 diabetic control mice. |
Figure 2
Physical Exercise Increases ROS and Triggers Oxidative Stress (Wibawa et al., 2025).
Figure 3
Various phytochemicals present in Withania somnifera (Garkal et al., 2025).
Figure 4
Pharmacological effects of ashwagandha (Garkal et al., 2025).