Ayurvedic Herbs - Botanical Medicines

Ayurvedic Herbs

Ayurvedic medicine is the oldest existing medical system recognized by the WHO, and many of its botanical medicines have been used to treat chronic disorders for more than 2,000 years. The government of India recently increased research on traditional Ayurvedic herbal medicine after international studies showed that they are as effective for many conditions as conventional pharmaceuticals. The following Ayurvedic herbs have been studied in India and proven effective.

Gugulgum ( Commiphora mukul ).     According to the Sushruta Samhita , the ancient Sanskrit text on Ayurvedic medicine written more than 2,000 years ago, Commiphora mukul was useful in treating obesity and conditions such as hyperlipidemia, which involve increased concentrations of cholesterol in the body. In a recent study cited by Fugh-Berman, the crude gum from Commiphora mukul significantly lowered serum cholesterol with no adverse side effects. The Indian government has approved the marketing of Commiphora mukul for treatment of hyperlipidemia.

Eclipta alba.     In Ayurvedic medicine, Eclipta alba is said to be the best drug for treating liver cirrhosis and infectious hepatitis. Eclipta alba and Wedelia calendulacea have been extensively used in India to treat jaundice and other liver and gall bladder ailments. One study conducted by Dr. D. Wagner and reported in a 1986 issue of Planta Medica showed that a liquid extract from fresh Eclipta leaves was effective in vivo in preventing acute carbon tetrachloride-induced liver damage. The powdered drug has also proven clinically effective in treating jaundice in children.

Indian Gooseberry or Amla ( Emblica officianalis ).     An article by Dr. A Jacob in the 1988 issue of the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported that Indian gooseberry (amla) dramatically reduced serum cholesterol levels in men aged 35–55 years. The supplement was given for 28 days in raw form, and normal and hypercholesterolemic subjects showed decreased cholesterol levels. Two weeks after the supplement was withdrawn, total serum cholesterol levels of the hypercholesterolemic subjects rose almost to initial levels.

Picorrhiza kurroa.      Picorrhiza kurroa rhizomes are partial ingredients of a bitter Ayurvedic tonic used to treat fever and dyspepsia (indigestion). Powdered rhizomes are used as a remedy for asthma, bronchitis, and liver diseases. Other research summarized by Fugh-Berman suggests that a Picorrhiza kurroa -derived mixture called kutkin helps protect the liver against toxins and that Picorrhiza kurroa acts as a bile enhancer. It may also have antiasthmatic effects in patients. A. Bedi speculates that Picorrhiza kurroa , an Ayurvedic herb, may also prevent some cancers. He also suggests that Picorrhiza kurroa boosts the immune system and may help patients with vitiglio, a skin disease that causes discoloration spots.

Articulin-F.     Articulin-F is an Ayurvedic herbal formula that, according to Dr. R. Kulkalni, contains roots of Withania somnifera , stems of Boswellia serrata , rhizomes of Curcuma longa , and a zinc complex. Kulkalni has performed randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover studies of articulin-F and found that it effectively treated osteoarthritis, a common progressive rheumatic disease characterized by degeneration and eventual loss of articular cartilage.

Neem ( Azadirachta indica ) and Turmeric ( Curcuma longa ).     In Ayurvedic medicine, neem and turmeric are used to heal chronic ulcers and scabies. According to an article by Dr. V. Charles in the 1986 issue of the Journal of Tropical Medicine , neem and turmeric were used as a paste to treat scabies in 814 people. Ninety-seven percent of cases were cured within 3–15 days. The researchers found this to be an inexpensive, easily available, effective, and acceptable mode of treatment for villagers in developing countries, with no adverse reactions.

Various components of plants have been used for thousands of years by traditional healers as botanical medicines. Modern research has yielded a great deal of information about the complex chemical structure of plants and how certain plant chemicals can be used to treat or prevent a variety of human medical disorders. More than 370 botanicals, for example, are currently being investigated in China for their possible effect in delaying the aging process. Botanical medicines show great promise for offering low-cost and safe treatments for many disorders. Nevertheless, a great deal more research needs to be conducted on the pharmaceutical and toxic effects of botanical medicines at the molecular level.

Hopefully, in the near future, governments and research institutions around the world will establish common nomenclatures for botanical medicines and coordinate research on the chemical and molecular structure of their many subspecies. P. D. Semt, writing in the March 1993 issue of the Journal of Ethnopharmacology , urges governments to improve the timely detection and quantification of adverse reactions to the many different botanical medicines, and develop modern testing procedures to ensure their safety. He and others have advocated that biologists and chemists form international networks to document the effects of different botanicals. Their first task would be to develop an internationally accepted botanical drug classification system, or a special set of herbal classification codes.