The profiles assume the reader is familiar with the concepts of rasa, virya, vipaka, guna, and dosha. If necessary, please refer to any text on Ayurveda for an explanation of these terms. A complete commentary on these terms and the basic premises of Ayurvedic pharmacology (dravyaguna) will appear here soon.
Complete and updated profiles on many of these herbal medicines from the Ayurvedic materia medica will continue to be published here free of charge as data becomes available. We regularly receive reports of clinical investigations but
peer review the methodolology, design, and results of
each study before referencing it here.
Profiles similar to the ones on this page of
many of the herbs listed,
and some not yet listed, are available for educational purposes. You
may receive this information by mail, fax, or email. $6.50/profile.| Latin Name | Sanskrit Name | Main Indications in Ayurveda |
| Acorus calamus | Vacha | nervine, antispasmatic, sedative, stomachic, expectorant, emetic, laxative, diuretic |
| Artemesia absinthium | Indhana | anthelminthic |
| Artemisia vulgaris | Nagadamni | anthelminthic, expectorant |
| Asparagus racemosus | Shatavari | galactogogic, antispasmodic, antidiarrhetic, demulcent |
| Azadirachta indica | Neem, Arishta | skin disease, blood disease, antibacterial |
| Bacopa monnieri | Brahmi | nervine tonic, diuretic, sedative |
| Boerhavia diffusa | Punarnava | diuretic, expectorant, laxative |
| Boswellia serrata | Shallaki | antiarthritic, analgesic, antiinflammatory |
| Buchanania lazan | Piyala | skin disease, laxative |
| Butea monosperma | Palasa | diarrhea, flatulence, anthelminthic |
| Callicarpa macrophylla | Pringu | joint pain, skin disease, blooddisease |
| Calotropis gigantea | Alarka | bronchitis, diarrhea, tonic, cancer (?) |
| Cannabis indica | Bhanga | insomnia, cachexia, dysmenorrhea |
| Capiscum annum | Katuvira | rubefacient, stimulant, tonic |
| Carum carvi | Krishnajira | flatulence, stomachic |
| Carum copticum | Yamani, Ajowan | spastic bowel, flatulence, dyspepsia |
| Cassia angustifolia | Markandika | constipation, liver disease, joint pain |
| Cassia fistula | Argbhada | ringworm, constipation, fever, antibacterial |
| Cedrus deodara | Devadaru | fever, diarrhea, urinary disorders |
| Centella asiatica | Mandukaparni | tonic, sedative, alterative, anxiolytic |
| Cichorium intybus | Kasni | emmenogogue, digestive |
| Cinnamomum camphora | Karpoor | diarrhea, nervousness, muscular pain, fever |
| Crocus sativus | Kumkuma | nervine sedative, emmenogogue, aphrodisiac |
| Cinnamomum zeylanicum | Twak | dyspepsia, flatulence, diarrhea, menorrhagia |
| Cissampelos pareira | Laghu Patha spastic | bowel, uterine prolapse,alterative |
| Clitoria ternatea | Aparajita | constipation, edema, anthelminthic,demulcent |
| Cocos nucifera | Narikela | fever, pharyngitis, skin disorders, alterative |
| Coleus aromaticus | Pashanbheda | kidney stones, conjunctivits, spastic colon |
| Cordia myxa (obliqua) | Shleshmataka | expectorant, colic, dyspepsia, ulcers, cough |
| Coriandrum sativum | Dhanyaka | flatulence, colic, joint pain, antiseptic |
| Crinum deflexum (asiaticum) | Sudarshan | emetic, inflammatory conditions |
| Cuminum cyminum | Jeeraka | diarrhea, dyspepsia, antiseptic,hookworm |
| Curculigo orchiodes | Talamulika | hemmorrhoids, asthma, kidney stones, skin |
| Curcuma longa | Haridra | arthritic pain, antiinflammatory, skin disease |
| Curcuma zedoaria | Shati | cough, asthma, leukorrhea, tonsillitis |
| Cynodon dactylon | Doorwa | diuretic, styptic, hematuria, hemmorrhoids |
| Cyperus rotundus | Mustaka | antiinflammatory, flatulence, fever, estrogenic |
| Datura metal | Dattura | antispasmodic, jointpain, asthma , dysmenorrhea |
| Daucus carota | Garijara | blood purifier, nervine tonic, jaundice |
| Dolichos biflorus | Kulitha | edema, kidney stone, asthma, dysmenorrhea, tumors |
| Eclipta Alba | Bhringaraj | hepatic deobstruent and tonic, alterative, emetic, purgative, antiseptic, antiviral |
| Elettaria cardamomum | Ela Chhoti | bronchitis, flatulence, dyspepsia, hemorrhoids |
| Emblica officinalis | Amalaki | fruit: cooling, laxative, stomachic, tonic, diuretic |
| Evolvulus alsinoides | Shankapushpi | anxiety, diarrhea, bronchitis, memory loss, fever |
| Ferula foetida | Hingu | flatulence, cough, constipation, palpitations,aphrodisia |
| Ficus religiosa | Aswatha | ulcers, skin disease, diabetes, constipation |
| Ficus racemosa | Udumbara | diarrhea, hemorrhoids, bleeding disorders, antiseptic |
| Foeniculum vulgare | Satupuspa | cough, flatulence, dysmenorrhea, hookworm, edema |
| Grewia hirsuta | Nagbala | diarrhea, wounds, heart disease, fever |
| Gmelina arborea | Gambhari | general tonic, to increase strength, antiviral, indigestion |
| Gymnema sylvestre | Meshasringa | diuretic, astringent, hypoglycemic, refrigerant, stomachic |
| Hemidesmus indicus | Sariva | excellent alterative, to increase appetite, cough, skin |
| Holarrhena antidysenterica | Kutaja | diarrhea, dysentery, amebiasis, anthelminthic |
| Hyoscyamus niger | Yavani | chronic dementia, hysteria, palpitations, asthma, sedative |
| Hyssopus officinalis | Zupha | cough, asthma, bronchitis, amenorrhea |
| Ipomoea digitata | Vidari | cough, hoarseness, respiratory stimulant, tonic |
| Justicia adhatoda | Vasaka | bronchitis, asthma, jaundice, antispasmodic |
| Linum usitatissimum | Uma | cystitis, bronchitis, boils, expectorant, demulcent |
| Luffa acutangula | Koshataki | splenomegaly, emetic, excellent for skin disease, expectorant |
| Madhuca longifolia | Madhuca | tonsillitis, cough, rheumatic joints, diabetes, appetizer |
| Michelia champaca | Champaka | gastritis, chronic arthritis (?), emmenagogue, diuretic, colic |
| Mimosa pudica | Lajjalu | menorrhagia, hemorrhoids,skin wounds, diarrhea |
| Mimusops elengi | Bakula | tonic, cardiotonic, urogenital disease, snakebite, skin sores |
| Morinda citrofolia | Ach | acne, eczema, hyperlipidemia,brochitis, diarrhea |
| Moringa oleifera | Sigru | source of vitamin C, colds, boils, fever, joint pain, gout |
| Mucuna pruriens | Kapikachchha | nervine tonic, aphrodisiac, parkinsonism, hypercholesterolemia |
| Nardostachys jatamansi | Jatamansi | nervousness, anxiety, dysmenorrhea, insomnia, hair tonic |
| Nelumbo nucifera | Parijata | refrigerant, sedative, demulcent |
| Nyctanthes arbor-tristis | Parijata | liver diseases, constipation, anthelminthic, antihistaminic |
| Ocimum sanctum | Tulasi | demulcent, expectorant, anticatarrhal, antispasmodic, anthelminthic |
| Paederia foetida | Prasarini | rheumatic joint pain, edema, bladderstones(?),inflammation |
| Papaver somniferum | Ahiphenam | anxiety, diarrhea, aphrodisiac, sedative |
| Peucedanum graveolens | Satapushpi | flatulence, colic, abscesses, digestive |
| Phyllanthus fraternus | Bhumiamalaki | jaundice, liver disease, fever, genitourinary disease, edema |
| Picrorhiza kurroa | Katuki | hepatitis, asthma, anorexia |
| Piper longum | Pippali | digestion, weakness, pharyngitis, headache, constipation |
| Piper nigrum | Maricha | dyspepsia, cough, pharyngitis, headache, diarrhea |
| Plantago ovata | Isaphgol | constipation, colitis, irritible bowel, cystitis |
| Plumbago zeylanica | Chitraka | abortifacient, warts, rheumatic joint pain |
| Premna integrifolia | Agnimantha | flatulence, fever, arthritis, liver deobstruent |
| Prunus amygdalus | Badama | mental energy, general tonic esp. nerve & kidney, semen, |
| Pterocarpus santalinus | Rakta Chandana | skin tonic, liver disorders, fever |
| Punica granatum | Dadima | anthelminthic (esp. tapeworm), diarrhea, dyspepsia |
| Randia dumentorium | Madana | fruit and rind are emetic, diaphoretic, and antispasmodic; bark is sedative and nervine calmative. |
| Rauwolfia Serpentina | Sarpagandha | hypertension, anxiety, insomnia, colic |