Ayurvedic Herbs

Ayurveda, one of the world's oldest holistic healthcare systems, is grounded in a five-element cosmology consisting of air (Vayu), earth (Prithvi), water (Jala), space (Aakash), and fire (Teja) (Frawley, 1996, "Ayurveda and the Mind"). These elements manifest in human physiology as three fundamental principles, or doshas—Vata, Pitta, and Kapha—which are thought to govern various physiological and psychological activities (Lad, 2002, "Textbook of Ayurveda").

Ayurvedic practice employs a system of six primary tastes—sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent, and astringent—to guide both dietary choices and therapeutic interventions. These tastes are evaluated based on their primary and secondary qualities, potency, and therapeutic action (Sharma et al., 2011, Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine). The Ayurvedic approach offers a complex schema for understanding both health and disease, which, although fundamentally different from Western medicine, has increasingly been the subject of scientific investigation for its potential therapeutic benefits (Balasubramani et al., 2011, Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine).