Active Compounds: Withanolides, Ginsenosides, Rosavins, Schisandrins and Others

Information only. This page explains plant chemistry. It does not say that any compound treats a condition, and a result for one compound, one extract or one plant does not carry over to another. Ask a pharmacist or clinician before using any adaptogen, and see how medicine interactions work.

What each family is

Other plants sometimes called adaptogens contain other compounds. For example, one review mentions eugenol and phenolic acids in holy basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum, previously Ocimum sanctum) [1][2] and bacosides in Bacopa monnieri, which has its own guide in Herbs & Botanicals.

Why a marker is not proof

• Whole-extract effects. Researchers note that plant preparations contain many compounds, and that studying a single isolated compound can obscure the interactions among phytochemicals present in the whole extract. [1]
• No single target. A 2017 review argued it is very unlikely that any phytochemical's activity is specific and tied to only one receptor. [9]
• Antioxidant action is not the whole story. A European committee paper noted that strongly antioxidant substances such as tocopherols do not exhibit adaptogenic properties. [10]
• Isolated compounds are not supplements. Findings from purified compounds in cells or animals are preclinical. A review of eleuthero concluded that the plant contains pharmacologically active compounds, which is a chemistry finding, not a finding that a product benefits people. [8]
• Variation in extract composition and standardization procedures is listed as a major limitation of the evidence. [1]

Why the plant part and the species matter

• Ashwagandha root vs leaf. NCCIH says supplements typically contain root, leaf or root/leaf extracts. [3] A 2026 analysis of 25 ashwagandha products, measuring three steroidal lactones, found only 10 met both British and US pharmacopoeia standards, and only two were confirmed as root-derived. [11] The authors reported that over 44% of products failed British standards and 60% failed US standards, and the authors attributed the failures mainly to a compound found primarily in leaf samples. [11] The sample was small and not a survey of the whole market.
• Rhodiola species. An NMR and HPLC study found the compound crenulatin only in Rhodiola crenulata, suggesting it can serve as a marker for substitution, and in less than a quarter of products were the labelled amounts of salidroside and total rosavins confirmed. [12]
• Ginseng products. A study of commercial botanical supplements found total ginsenosides in ginseng ranged from 5.3 to 18.2 mg per serving between brands. [13] That was a 2004 analysis and may not reflect today's products.

What to do with this: look for the Latin name and plant part on a label, treat percentages of markers as one clue only, and look for independent testing. See standardization and marker compounds, plant species and ingredient identification, ashwagandha root vs leaf and quality testing and certifications.