Ashwagandha for Cognitive Dysfunction

Patients are eligible if they are undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer, are scheduled to receive at least four rounds, and state that they notice thinking or memory problems during their first two cycles of chemotherapy. Patients will be given FACT-Cog PCI (Version 3). Patients that score less than 63, a score that reflects moderate to severe cognitive problems, are confirmed eligible. Subjects will be randomized 1:1 in blocks of 4.

Treatment will begin at the start of the third cycle of chemotherapy and continue for 9 weeks. Thyroid hormone testing will be conducted at baseline and at the end of week 6 for patients with a history of thyroid disease.

Patients will receive ashwagandha 500 mg po BID or placebo. The investigators and participants will be blinded to group assignment.

Endpoint testing including the FACT-Cog PCI and total score, Hopkins verbal learning test, trail making test (abstraction and executive function), and Mini Mental Status Exam (MMSE) will be administered at baseline and after 9 weeks of treatment. Six months after stopping the study, patients will receive a link to a REDCap database to complete the FACT-Cog and state whether they used ashwagandha once they completed the study.

Active study participation will be for 9 weeks.