Common Names, Morphology and Constituents of the Traditional Herbs in Ayurveda

Ayurveda is known as one of the Indian medicinal systems based on ancient literature. The system focuses on formulations of medicines and treatment, considering the ‘natural’ and holistic approach that helps maintain physical and mental health. Although this system is the oldest, it is as popular as it was in ancient times. The treatment and medication involve traditional herbal drugs that are made mostly from plants but also animals, metals, and minerals. In this article, we will discuss traditional herbal drugs. 

Traditional Ayurveda

Ayurveda is an ancient Indian medical practice that dates back more than 3000 years ago. The Sanskrit terms Ayur, which means life, and Veda, which means sciences, are combined to form the name ‘Ayurveda’. Ayurveda becomes science or knowledge of life. 

This area of medicine promotes people to make lifestyle changes and use natural therapies to help them reclaim a sense of balance in their bodies, minds, spirits and surroundings. It focuses on eliminating the conditions that cause a person’s consciousness to become imbalanced or stressed.

The system of Ayurveda is based on the principles of universal interconnection, body composition (Prakriti), and life forces (doshas) that make a human body. The goal of Ayurvedic medicine is to ease the symptoms, enhance disease resistance, relieve stress, and improve life balance. The medicines formulated use herbs, medicinal plants, oil and different active plant components.  

Traditional Herbal Drugs

Traditional herbal drugs are part of ancient ayurvedic treatment. These medicines date back to ancient civilisations. These medicines and treatments are made using herbs, can cure various diseases and maintain the overall health and well-being of an individual.

Some of the herbs used have powerful ingredients that should be treated with the same precaution as prescribed drugs. Nevertheless, some traditional herbal drugs are based on the synthetic copies of naturally occurring plant components. For example, Digitalis, which is used as a cardiac medication, is obtained from the foxglove plant.

Constituents of Traditional Herbal Drugs

All herbal medicines have some active components. These active components might be unknown in some herbal remedies. A single active component that is extracted out of a medicinal plant would be used in several pharmaceutical drugs. 

These active components are extracted and stored away from the plant as suggested by the herbalists. Moreover, inappropriate storage may reduce their therapeutic effects.

For example, salicylic acid is an active ingredient obtained from the meadowsweet and is used in the manufacturing of aspirin. Taking aspirin may cause side effects such as acidity; however, meadowsweet and other chemicals used in aspirin protect the stomach against the strong reaction of salicylic acid irritation. 

As per the herbal medicine practitioners, these active components are more effective than the entire plant. They also believe that one should ask the physician before taking any amount of active ingredient. 

Different Types of Ayurvedic Herbs

In the traditional Ayurveda, there are more than 600 formulas and 250 types of single plant remedies. The categories in the ayurvedic system are based on the health effects or their energies. There is insufficient evidence to back up the claim that medicines are beneficial for human bodies. 

Some of the most used herbs in ayurvedic medicines are given below: 

• Triphala

This ingredient is not a herb but a formula made using different herbs such as amla and Myrobalan. It has some antioxidant properties making it best for curing age-related problems like heart diseases. 

• Guggul

This herb is used in traditional medicines to lower cholesterol problems. The oily sap of the guggul tree is used to make this component.

• Boswellia

This herb is often referred to as Indian frankincense. This is an active ingredient obtained from the resin of the Boswellia tree. Boswellic acid is believed to have a cure for cardiovascular diseases, asthma, etc.  

• Gotu Kola

Gotu kola, also known as Asiatic pennywort or Centella asiatica, is a medicinal herb. This herb is often prescribed to patients as a tonic that can relieve anxiety and fatigue.

Conclusion

We studied traditional herbal remedies in the Ayurveda system in this article. We got to know the various advantages of these herbs and their formulations. These herbs benefit our health and are used to treat many ailments. There are several advantages of using the traditional system, such as they are more affordable, easier to obtain and help strengthen our body from within.