Herbs and spices are the best known part of Ayurveda, and the part where care matters most. This section will describe common plants such as turmeric, ginger, ashwagandha, tulsi, triphala, brahmi, neem, amla, cumin and fennel. For each one it will say how Ayurvedic texts use it, what modern research has found, and what the safety concerns are.
The classical texts, especially the Charaka Samhita and later materia medica such as the Bhavaprakasha, describe each substance by its taste, its qualities, its effect after digestion and its action on the doshas. They also list the conditions for which each has traditionally been used. We report those traditional uses as what the tradition says. We do not present them as proven treatments, and we do not suggest that a herb will cure or prevent a disease.
Where modern studies exist, we will say what they found and how strong they are. For many Ayurvedic herbs, the evidence is limited, uses small trials or laboratory work, or is mixed. A statement that a plant has been used for centuries is a fact about history. It is not evidence that it works or that it is safe.
Safety deserves its own emphasis. Herbs are active substances. They can interact with prescribed medicines, for example by changing how blood thinners, diabetes tablets, thyroid medicine, blood pressure drugs, sedatives or immunosuppressants behave. Some are not recommended in pregnancy or while breastfeeding, and many have not been studied in children. Some people are allergic to commonly used plants. Case reports have linked certain products to liver injury, and a few traditional preparations have been found, in testing, to contain lead, mercury or arsenic, so where a product comes from matters. Quantities in cooking are very different from the doses in capsules and extracts.
For these reasons every guide in this section will carry a short safety box, and none will give a dose for a health purpose. If you are thinking of taking a herb, please talk first to your doctor or pharmacist, and tell them everything you take. In India, an Ayurvedic treatment should come from a registered practitioner (BAMS). Our medical disclaimer sets out the position in full, and it applies to every page here.