EXPLORING THE GLOBAL POTENTIAL OF AYURVEDIC MEDICINE: BRIDGING TRADITIONAL WISDOM AND MODERN APPLICATIONS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22159/ijas.2025v13.55805Keywords:
Ayurvedic medicine, Central Council of Ayurvedic and Siddha Research, Traditional medicine, Natural products, Plant sourceAbstract
This comprehensive review explores the global potential of Ayurvedic medicine, bridging traditional wisdom with modern applications. Delving into Ayurveda’s historical roots and philosophical foundations, the study traces its evolution and integration into diverse cultures, underscoring its enduring impact on global healthcare traditions. The narrative highlights Ayurveda’s resurgence during India’s fight for independence and its subsequent official recognition, evident in the establishment of institutes, councils, and research initiatives, signifying its growing significance in contemporary health care. The review extensively assesses the current status of Ayurveda, covering education, research, and Ayurvedic medicine production. It examines the globalization of Ayurveda, emphasizing its acceptance and integration into global healthcare practices. The importance of research and development in Ayurveda is underscored, specifically acknowledging institutions such as the Central Council of Ayurvedic and Siddha Research. The paper advocates for rigorous scientific validation through double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials to establish the pharmacological effects of Ayurvedic medicinal plants. Throughout, the review acknowledges the potential global significance of Ayurvedic medicine, with focused attention on promising medicinal plants. The conclusion urges future research to substantiate the clinical effectiveness of these plants, facilitating the integration of Ayurveda into mainstream global healthcare. Serving as a valuable resource, this review caters to scholars, practitioners, and policymakers, fostering a dialog between traditional wisdom and modern healthcare applications, thereby contributing to the global harnessing of Ayurvedic medicine’s potential.
References
1. Adhikari PP, Paul SB. History of Indian traditional medicine: Amedical inheritance. History 2018;11:421.
2. Sorokina M, Steinbeck C. Review on natural products databases: Where to find data in 2020. J Cheminform 2020;12:20.
3. Sarker SD, Nahar L. An Introduction to Natural Products Isolation. United States: Humana Press; 2012.
4. Petrovska BB. Historical review of medicinal plants’ usage. Pharmacogn Rev 2012;6:1.
5. Khare CP, editor. Evidence-based Ayurveda: Defining a New Scientific Path. United Kingdom: Routledge; 2019.
6. Metta AM, Kingumahanthi NL, Kalidindi VR, Juturi RK, Boddu V. Scope for harmonisation of herbal medicine regulations. Int J Pharm Sci Res 2021;12:2012-20.
7. Thrigulla SR, Narayanam S. Initiatives: National ayush morbidity and standardized terminologies electronic (NAMASTE) portal. J Ayurveda Integr Med 2023;14:100781.
8. Rajput DS. Approaches for increasing quality of research publications in Ayurveda. J Indian Syst Med 2019;7:197-9.
9. Patwardhan B. Bridging Ayurveda with evidence-based scientific approaches in medicine. EPMA J 2014;5:1-7.
10. Payyappallimana U, Venkatasubramanian P. Exploring ayurvedic knowledge on food and health for providing innovative solutions to contemporary healthcare. Front Public Health 2016;4:57.
11. Neyah R, Vijayakumar M. Exploring the potency of ancient wisdom: Traditional medicines as promising allies for augmenting mental well-being. In: Promoting Mindfulness and Well-Being with Indian Psychology. New York: IGI Global; 2024. p. 246-59.
12. Chauhan A, Semwal DK, Joshi SK. An Overview of biotechnological applications in Ayurveda: Amalgamation of modern techniques and science. Curr Tradit Med 2023;9:23-32.
13. Knoess W, Wiesner J. The globalization of traditional medicines: Perspectives related to the European Union regulatory environment. Engineering 2019;5:22-31.
14. Wu WY, Yang WZ, Hou JJ, Guo DA. Current status and future perspective in the globalization of traditional Chinese medicines. World J Tradit Chin Med 2015;1:1-4.
15. Marques O. Integrating contemporary technologies with Ayurveda: Examples, challenges, and opportunities. In: 2015 International Conference on Advances in Computing, Communications and Informatics (ICACCI). United States: IEEE; 2015. p. 1399-407.
16. Rastogi S, editor. Translational Ayurveda. Germany: Springer; 2018.
17. Gupta S, Yadav MK, Thangamani D, Vidhya CS, Kalaimani PS, Prabhavathi SJ, et al. Herbal medicines: Bridging traditional knowledge with modern pharmacology. Biochem Cell Arch 2023;23:1577-82.
18. Patwardhan B, Mutalik G, Tillu G. Integrative Approaches for Health: Biomedical Research, Ayurveda and Yoga. United States: Academic Press; 2015.
19. Patwardhan B, Vaidya AD, Chorghade M, Joshi SP. Reverse pharmacology and systems approaches for drug discovery and development. Curr Bioact Compounds 2008;4:201-12.
20. Lakhotia SC. Ayurvedic Biology provides an unbiased approach to revisit and rationalize basic concepts and practices of Ayurveda. Research Gate 2019;24 :
21. Krishna S, Dinesh KS, Nazeema PK. Globalizing Ayurveda-opportunities and challenges. Int J Health Sci Res 2020;10:55-68.
22. Shankar D. Roadmap for Ayurveda education in modern India. In: Handbook of Education Systems in South Asia 2021. Singapore: Springer; p. 101-19.
23. Nehra S, Sinha A. Ayurveda and Quantum Science of Consciousness Foundational Blocks of Quantum Integrative Wellness
24. Singh MM, Bhatnagar S, Bhatnagar V, Verma S. Fundamental concept of health in ayurveda. Int J Health Sci Res 2019;9:455-9.
25. Guruprasad K. Concept of health in Ayurveda. World J Pharm Res 2017;7:1061-74.
26. Mathpati MM, Albert S, Porter JD. Ayurveda and medicalisation today: The loss of important knowledge and practice in health? J Ayurveda Integr Med 2020;11:89-94.
27. Chauhan A, Semwal DK, Mishra SP, Semwal RB. Ayurvedic concept of Shatkriyakala: A traditional knowledge of cancer pathogenesis and therapy. J Integr Med 2017;15:88-94.
28. Gurao RP, Namburi SU, Kumar S, Khode NV, Mahulkar DM. Pathogenesis of COVID-19: A review on integrative understanding through Ayurveda. J Res Ayurvedic Sci 2020;4:104-11.
29. Available from: http://www.indianmedicine.nac.in 30. Jagtap V, Mandhare N, Jagtap A, Galave V, Phadtare A, Kolhe O. An Overview on Principle, Diagnosis and Treatment of Ayurveda; 2021.
31. Wujastyk D. The evolution of Indian government policy on Ayurveda in the twentieth century. In: Modern and Global Ayurveda: Pluralism and Paradigms. United States: State University of NewYork; 2008. p. 4376.
32. Ravishankar B, Shukla VJ. Indian systems of medicine: A brief profile. Afr J Tradit Complement Altern Med 2007;4:319-37.
33. Farooqui AA, Farooqui T, Madan A, Ong JH, Ong WY. Ayurvedic medicine for the treatment of dementia: Mechanistic aspects. Evid Based Complement Altern Med 2018;2018:2481076.
34. Pradeep D, Pamila D. Dietetics in Ayurveda-the forgotten science. Int J Res Ayurveda Pharm 2011;2:1005-10.
35. Dandekar P. Critical review of dietetics in Ayurveda. World J Pharmaceut Res 2016;5:391-403.
36. Sahoo A, Mishra PK, Sharma B, Prajapati J. Concept of Dietetics and its importance in Ayurveda. J Ayurveda Integr Med Sci 2023;8:76-82.
37. Jana BC. Overview on nutrition and dietetics: Ayurvedic perspective. JWest Bengal Univ Health Sci 2020;1:64-8.
38. Madan P, Dhote S, Gadgil S, Wairagade S, Patil S, Joshi A. Importance of Ayurvedic dietetics-a review. NVEO Nat Volat Essent Oils J 2021;8:1309-14.
39. Kulkarni MS. Potential for interdisciplinary research in Ayurveda. J Dent Res Rev 2020;7:53-5.
40. Kurup PN. In: Chaudhury RR, Rafei UM, editors. Ayurveda in Traditional Medicine in Asia. New Delhi: WHO-Regional Office for South East Asia; 2002. p. 3-16.
41. Tubaki BR, Prasad BS. Ayurveda fundamentals and science-A perspective. AYU 2022;43:65-70.
42. Patwardhan K, Prasad BS, Aftab A, More VR, Savrikar SS. Research orientation in Ayurveda educational institutions: Challenges and the way forward. J Ayurveda Integr Med 2019;10:45-9.
43. Pratibha N, Mukesh E, VinodKumar MV. Ayurvedic practice, education and research, beyond dilemmas and confessions. J Ayurveda Integr Med 2023;14:100814.
44. Swathi K, Sundaravadivelu S. Ayurveda and transdisciplinary approaches: A way forward towards personalized and preventive medicine. Indian J Pharm Sci 2023;85:1574-85.
45. Lakhotia SC. Need for integration of Ayurveda with modern biology and medicine. Proc Indian Natl Sci Acad 2019;85:697-703.
46. Mukherjee PK, Harwansh RK, Bahadur S, Banerjee S, Kar A, Chanda J, et al. Development of Ayurveda-tradition to trend. J Ethnopharmacol 2017;197:10-24.
47. Sharma PC, Yelne MB, Dennis TJ, editors. Chitraka (Plumbago zeylanica). Data base on medicinal plants used in Ayurveda. Vol. 1. New Delhi: Central Council for Research in Ayurveda and Siddha; 2000. p. 102-13.
48. Sharma PC, Yelne, M. B. and Dennis, T. J. Eds. (2001). Aswatha (Ficus religiosa). Data base on medicinal plants used in Ayurveda. Vol. 3. New Delhi: Central Council for Research in Ayurveda and Siddha; p. 130-9.
49. Sharma PC, Yelne MB, Dennis TJ, editors. Bhunimba (Andrographis paniculata). Data Base on Medicinal Plants Used in Ayurveda. Vol. 4. New Delhi: Central Council for Research in Ayurveda and Siddha; 2002. p. 34-60.
50. Billore KV, Yelne MB, Dennis TJ, Chaudhari BG. Rohitaka (Tecomella undulata). Database on Medicinal Plants Used in Ayurveda. Vol. 6. New Delhi: Central Council for Research in Ayurveda and Siddha; 2004c. p. 321-9.
51. Satyavati GV, Gupta AK, Tandon N, editors. Mucuna adans. Medicinal Plants of India. Vol. 2. New Delhi: Indian Council of Medical Research; 1987. p. 282-9.
52. Satyavati GV. Guggalipid: A promising hypolipidemic agent from guggul (Commiphora wightii). In: Economic and Medicinal Plant Research. Vol. 5. New York: Academic Press; 1991. p. 47-73.
53. Satyavati GV. In: Patil PN, Gulati OD, Balaraman R, editors. History of Pharmacology of Medicinal Plants in India. In: Topics in the History of Pharmacology. Ahemdabad, India: B. S. Shah Prakashan; 2005.
54. Mishra LC, editor. Scientific Basis for Ayurvedic Therapies. New York: CRC Press; 2004.
55. De S, Ravishankar B, Bhavsar GC. Plants with hepatoprotective activity - A review. Indian Drugs 1993;30:355-63.
56. Dahanukar SA, Rege NN, Thatte U. Adaptogens. In: Medicinal Plants, Their Bioactivity, Screening and Evaluation. Lucknow, India: CDRI; 1997. p. 143-63.
57. Rastogi RP, Dhawan BN. Research on Medicinal plants at the Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow (India). Indian J Med Res 1982;76:27-45.
58. Rastogi R, Mehrotra BN. Compendium of Indian Medicinal plants. Vol. 1. New Delhi, India: Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow and National Institute of Science Communication; 1990.
59. Rastogi R, Mehrotra BN. Compendium of Indian Medicinal Plants. Vol. 2. New Delhi, India: Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow and National Institute of Science Communication; 1991.
60. Rastogi R, Mehrotra BN. Compendium of Indian Medicinal Plants. Vol. 3. New Delhi, India: Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow and National Institute of Science Communication; 1993.
61. Rastogi R, Mehrotra BN. Compendium of Indian Medicinal Plants. Vol. 4. New Delhi, India: Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow and National Institute of Science Communication; 1995.
62. Rastogi R, Mehrotra BN. Compendium of Indian Medicinal Plants. Vol. 5. New Delhi, India: Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow and National Institute of Science Communication; 1998.
63. Raghunathan K, Mitra R. Pharmacognosy of Indigenous Drugs. Vol. 1. New Delhi: Central Council for Research in Ayurveda and Siddha; 1982.
64. Singh RH. Exploring issues in the development of Ayurvedic research methodology. J Ayurveda Integr Med 2010;1:91.
65. Katoch D, Sharma JS, Banerjee S, Biswas R, Das B, Goswami D, et al. Government policies and initiatives for development of Ayurveda. J Ethnopharmacol 2017;197:25-31.
66. Katiyar CK, Dubey SK. Opportunities and challenges for Ayurvedic industry. Int J Ayurveda Res 2023;4:123-31.
67. Dahanukar SA, Kulkarni RA, Rege NN. Pharmacology of medicinal plants and natural products (1994-98). Indian J Pharmacol 2000;32:S81-118.
68. Arya A, Bhaduri S. Technological capabilities in the Indian Ayurveda medicine industry: Lessons for ‘Industrialisation’of alternative medicine in the post-WTO regime. Afr J Sci Technol Innov Dev 2018;10:287-98.
69. Saggar S, Mir PA, Kumar N, Chawla A, Uppal J, Kaur A. Traditional and herbal medicines: Opportunities and challenges. Pharmacogn Res 2022;14:107-14.
70. Krishna S, Dinesh KS, Nazeema PK. Globalizing Ayurveda-opportunities and challenges. Int J Health Sci Res 2020;10:55-68.
71. Rawat N, Chandra M, Mitra S, Sharma KC. Globalization of Ayurveda pharmaceutics: Emerging trends. Int J Sci Res Arch 2024;11:413-21.
72. Balakrishnan P, Subhose V, Mahajon B, Sharma S, Jain AK, Khanduri S, et al. Globalization of Ayurveda: A traditional Indian system of medicine-current challenges and way forward. Int J Ayurveda Res 2023;4:248-54.
73. Kudlu C. Globalising Ayurveda, branding India: Implications for the Ayurvedic pharmaceutical industry. In: Asian Medical Industries: Contemporary Perspectives on Traditional Pharmaceuticals. United Kingdom: Routledge; 2022. p. 138-68.
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
Copyright (c) 2025 DEEPIKA BAIRAGEE, NEERAJ SHARMA

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.