Authentic Ayurveda Medicines and Practices from the Land of Ayurveda
The renewed partnership seeks to develop uniform, scientifically robust and reliable quality standards for medicinal plants used as single drugs across Ayurveda, Siddha, Sowa-Rigpa, Unani and Homoeopathy. The initiative is intended to address a long-standing challenge in which the same botanical material may be described, tested or standardised differently across various medicinal systems.
The accepted botanical name is Justicia adhatoda L., belonging to the family Acanthaceae. The older botanical name Adhatoda vasica Nees remains extremely common in Ayurvedic literature, pharmaceutical preparations and research publications. Kew’s Plants of the World Online currently accepts Justicia adhatoda as the botanical name and lists Adhatoda vasica among its synonyms.
The accepted botanical species is Vitex negundo L., presently placed in the family Lamiaceae. Kew describes it as a shrub or small tree native across a vast region extending from eastern Africa and Iran through the Indian subcontinent to East and Southeast Asia. India forms an important part of its natural distribution.
The importance accorded to Mandukaparni is not merely a modern interpretation of Ayurveda. Charaka specifically mentions the fresh juice of Mandukaparni among the Medhya Rasayanas, together with Yashtimadhu, Guduchi and Shankhapushpi. The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India officially identifies Mandukaparni as Centella asiatica, while the Ministry of AYUSH’s e-Charak medicinal-plant database identifies the whole plant as the medicinal raw material.
In chemical terms, properly prepared lime water is a dilute aqueous solution of calcium hydroxide. Ayurveda employs it mainly as a processing medium rather than as an ordinary drink. It may be used for soaking, washing, detoxifying, firming or modifying selected fruits, vegetables and medicinal substances before they enter a formulation.
The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India identifies the medicinal drug Talisa as the dried leaves of Abies webbiana Lindl., belonging to the Pinaceae family. Modern botanical databases, however, treat Abies webbiana as a synonym of the currently accepted name Abies spectabilis (D.Don) Mirb. Thus, both names may appear in Ayurvedic books, pharmacopoeias and herbal products.
The initiative is being supported through programmes of the National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB), the National AYUSH Mission (NAM) and the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), with a growing focus on cultivation, processing, quality testing, market access and value addition.
Pushkaramula is not the same plant as orris root. Orris root generally refers to the dried rhizomes of certain Iris species used mainly in perfumery and traditional European herbal preparations. Ayurvedic Pushkaramula refers specifically to the root and rhizome of Inula racemosa. Confusing the two can lead to incorrect identification and inappropriate medicinal use.
Vibhitaki is best known as one of the three ingredients of Triphala, together with Haritaki and Amalaki. Its traditional reputation, however, extends well beyond Triphala. Ayurvedic texts associate it particularly with Kapha disorders, sluggish digestion, cough, excessive mucus, bowel irregularity and disturbances involving Meda, or adipose tissue.
The accepted botanical name is Grewia asiatica L. The spelling “Grewia asiatical” sometimes seen in secondary documents is incorrect. Modern taxonomy places the plant in the Malvaceae family, although older botanical and Ayurvedic publications often classify it under Tiliaceae. Kew recognises Grewia asiatica as an accepted species native across a broad region extending from southern Iran through the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia to Queensland.
