Herb Profile
Ashitaba
Angelica keiskei
Ashitaba (Angelica keiskei) carries a Grade C rating — limited evidence.
Last reviewed: •3 sources citedReport a correctionProfile-wide ·C Limited
Use extra caution — May influence glucose or metabolic markers; monitor with antidiabetic medications and avoid pregnancy/breastfeeding use unless clinician supervised. Details
- Evidence
- Limited Evidence
- Typical onset
- Varies by prep
- Safety rating
- High caution
- Best for
- Antioxidant, Metabolic, Stress resilience
- Avoid / review if
- Pregnancy/Breastfeeding Without Clinician Guidance, Anticoagulant Use Without Review, Potential Additive Bleeding Risk With Anticoagulants/Antiplatelets
Safety
Safety & Cautions
May influence glucose or metabolic markers; monitor with antidiabetic medications and avoid pregnancy/breastfeeding use unless clinician supervised.
High caution
Caution level: High. Multiple caution categories apply, or the record uses avoid/contraindication language.
- Interaction-AwareMedication or interaction context is explicitly noted.
- Anticoagulant CautionBleeding or anticoagulant-adjacent caution language is present.
- Pregnancy/Breastfeeding CautionPregnancy or breastfeeding caution language is present.
Detailed safety fields
Pregnancy, breastfeeding, and contraindications
- Pregnancy/Breastfeeding Without Clinician Guidance
- Anticoagulant Use Without Review
- Potential Additive Bleeding Risk With Anticoagulants/Antiplatelets
- Limited Clinical Interaction Data.
Safety classifications
- Interaction-Aware: Medication or interaction context is explicitly noted.
- Anticoagulant Caution: Bleeding or anticoagulant-adjacent caution language is present.
- Pregnancy/Breastfeeding Caution: Pregnancy or breastfeeding caution language is present.
Full safety note
- May influence glucose or metabolic markers; monitor with antidiabetic medications and avoid pregnancy/breastfeeding use unless clinician supervised.
Safety labels
- Interaction-Aware
- Anticoagulant Caution
- Pregnancy/Breastfeeding Caution
Evidence-based safety
Caution when combined
Severity and certainty are shown separately. A high-priority caution can still be theoretical: these pairings are screened from shared contraindication mechanisms and are not automatically documented clinical interactions. Provenance identifies the source fields that produced each flag; it does not upgrade the certainty of the pairwise claim.
High-Priority Caution
147 flagged pairingsBleeding / anticoagulant risk
High-Priority Caution
147 flagged pairingsBleeding / anticoagulant risk
Representative pairings are shown below. Large mechanism groups are intentionally summarized to keep profiles focused and crawl-efficient.
Bleeding / anticoagulant riskCertainty: Theoretical
Data provenance recorded for 147 of 147 pairings in this mechanism group.
- aescin — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Aged Garlic Extract — Theoretical interaction certainty
- ajoene — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Ajwain — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Allicin — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Garlic — Theoretical interaction certainty
- American Ginseng Extract — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Andrographis — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Angelica Archangelica — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Angelica Dahurica — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Angelica Pubescens — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Angelica Root — Theoretical interaction certainty
+135 more pairings share this mechanism. Use the Safety Checker to review a specific combination.
Evidence
Evidence Summary
Evidence lens
Read as directional context, not settled clinical proof.
LimitedLimited Evidence
Human clinical evidence: Not the primary signal
Mechanistic / preclinical: Mechanism mapped — Oxidative Stress Modulation · Metabolic Regulation
Research maturity: Theoretical / mechanistic research — Mechanistic or unresolved evidence is kept separate from established human outcomes.
Safety boundary: Safety note available — May influence glucose or metabolic markers; monitor with antidiabetic medications and avoid pregnancy/breastfeeding use unless clinician supervised.
This profile cites 3 human studies.
Study design details
Evidence Grade
Grade C: Limited Evidence
Evaluation of methodological rigor, population reach, and evidence alignment.
- Design Match
- Narrative review
- Risk of Bias
- High
- Consistency
- Not assessed
Strongest recorded design is a narrative review, drawn from 2 recorded studies, none of which measured an outcome in people.
How evidence grades work
Each grade reflects the strength and consistency of published human evidence — not marketing claims. Grades are based on study count, design quality, effect size, consistency, and recency.
- Strong
- Multiple RCTs, consistent direction, adequate effect size
- Moderate
- Some RCTs or consistent observational data in humans
- Preliminary / Mixed
- Animal or in-vitro only, or conflicting human data
- Traditional / Theoretical
- Traditional use only; no controlled human trials
Clinical Study Summaries (3)0 human evidence sources · 0 human trials · Participant totals not consistently reported · Consistency not yet classifiable
Filter by study class
Showing 3 of 3 studies.
What the evidence actually shows
This table contains 3 structured sources, including 0 human evidence sources; 0 are human trials.
| Study | Design | N | Dose | Duration | Population | Outcome | Result & magnitude | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Toxicological assessment of Ashitaba Chalcone Maronpot RR et al. · Food Chem Toxicol · 2015 Background | Narrative review Summarizes selected literature without the full prespecified search and selection methods of a systematic review. | — | — | — | — | — | — | PubMed → |
Possible antithrombotic effects of Angelica keiskei (Ashitaba) Ohkura N et al. · Pharmazie · 2018 Background | Narrative review Summarizes selected literature without the full prespecified search and selection methods of a systematic review. | — | — | — | — | — | — | PubMed → |
A Review of the Medicinal Uses and Pharmacology of Ashitaba Caesar LK et al. · Planta Med · 2016 Background | Other / unclear The study design is not yet classified clearly enough to infer its place in the evidence hierarchy. | — | — | — | — | — | — | PubMed → |
Dosing & Timing
- No standardized dose
- Preparation specific; use standardized product label for Leaf/stem powder and require source backed dosage review before therapeutic claims.
How Ashitaba works
Simplified mechanism pathway based on preclinical and pharmacological evidence. Does not confirm clinical efficacy.
Mechanism Pathway — How Ashitaba Works
CompoundTarget / ReceptorMechanismEffect / Outcome
Mechanisms & biological pathways (preclinical)
- Oxidative Stress Modulation
- Metabolic Regulation
Compare related active botanicals
Explore botanicals with similar chemistry, effects, or safety considerations in the Botanical Activity Atlas.
Compare & Sourcing
Compare side-by-side tradeoffs or verify active marker guidelines.
Sourcing options
Ashitaba product picks
Recommendation status
Product recommendations are not shown for this profile because the current site safety and monetization policy does not permit them.
Product form & quality guidelines
When sourcing Ashitaba, verify the label for:
- Standardized extract: Confirm active content percentages on the supplement facts panel (e.g. standardized to specific marker compounds) rather than simple raw herb weights.
- Third-party testing: Look for independent purity labels (USP, NSF, ConsumerLab, or Eurofins) to ensure the product is free from heavy metals, solvents, and contaminants.
- Form bioavailability: Ensure the form matches evidence-supported configurations (e.g. standardized active extracts like bacosides, withanolides, or curcuminoids) for optimal onset and digestion tolerance.
Safety first · Harm reduction
This information is educational and not medical advice. Start low, avoid risky combinations, and consult a licensed clinician before making health decisions—especially if you use medications, have diagnosed conditions, or are pregnant/breastfeeding.
Learn how we evaluate confidence, safety, and intensity on the methodology page.
Founder & Head Researcher · Oak Ridge, TN · Last reviewed August 2026
Editorial Review
Checked against primary sources, cited evidence, and contraindication language before publication. Evidence claims, safety language, and affiliate modules are reviewed independently. Not personal medical advice.
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