Traditional Indian medicine (ayurveda) is becoming increasingly popular, with many chronic conditions responding to it

well. Most patients begin to take conventional medications as soon as their diagnoses are made, so ayurvedic treatments
are usually undergone alongside and/or after conventional medical approaches. A detailed knowledge of the action of
food, spices, and medicinal plants is needed in order to understand their potential influence fully. While societal use of
ayurvedic plants and Indian spices is commonplace, without ill effect, the use of more concentrated products made from
single plants, often in the form of teas or tablets, is of more concern. The mechanisms by which polyherbal drugs and their
extracts act differ in many respects from the actions of single substances or synthetic drugs. Despite the fact that
ayurvedic medicines are based on natural herbal materials, their safety depends on their method of administration, taking
into account individuals’ needs and their specific disease conditions.

Tradistional Indian medicine (or ayurveda) is becoming increasingly popular in Europe, with many chronic
conditions responding to it well. While conventional medicine dominates many fields in this market, it does
not always outperform traditional ayurvedic approaches. Conventional medicine frequently relies on lifelong
medication, on which patients come to depend. Many medications have side-effects, and withdrawal
symptoms that, if the medications are later discontinued, can become problematic. In such circumstances,
ayurveda has much to offer. Patients generally respond well to ayurvedic treatments, experiencing a
reduction, and sometimes even a cessation, of their symptoms. Most patients begin to take conventional
medications as soon as their diagnoses are made, so ayurvedic treatments are usually undergone alongside
and/or after conventional medical approaches. Patients therefore tend to experience ayurveda once their
conditions have progressed. Despite this, much can be done to minimize conditions’ symptoms and control
their progress. Ayurveda can help improve patients’ symptoms by reducing their cortisone and analgesic
usage, thereby enhancing their quality of life.

The public constantly seeks out new health care approaches. In this situation, ayurveda is an easy target for
bogus health claims. Many of the available books are inauthentic—a product of unqualified authors’ ideas
and fantasies. Short-term courses similarly vary greatly in the quality of the teaching provided and the
qualifications thereby obtained. While ayurveda is becoming increasingly popular, which is a positive
development, care must be taken against its mismanagement, especially given the vast array of spurious
“ayurvedic” products currently on the market.

Traditional Indian medicine, or ayurveda, is based on a traditional medical system, in the same way as
traditional Chinese medicine, with both being developed in their respective geographic regions. Ayurvedic
practice is around 3000 years old, with a long history of managing disease. The 3 basic principles,
called doshas (vata, pitta, and kapha), are derived from 5 elements of Indian philosophy.
Ayurveda’s doshas can be identified as regulatory control factors for fundamental physiologic processes in
living systems that maintain their identity throughout biologic history: vata and its subdoshas regulating
input/output processes and motion; pitta and its subdoshas regulating throughput, turnover, and hence
energy; and kapha and its subdoshas regulating storage, structure, and lubrication.1

Factors such as food, activity, the climate and stress can, however, disrupt or destroy these functions.
Ayurveda seeks to normalize body functions with varied techniques including advice on food and activity,
internal herbal preparations, purification treatments (panchakarma), and surgical methods (shalya chikitsa).

Oral administration routes play a major role in influencing individuals’ doshas, via the ingestion of food,
spices, and medicinal plants. These elements are influencing doshas in different ways: stabilizing, disturbing,
and supporting the body’s healthy state. A detailed knowledge of the action of food, spices, and medicinal
plants is needed in order in to understand their potential influence fully.

Ayurveda first seeks to diagnose patients’ conditions before treating them with internal preparations, diet, and
habit restrictions. Plant-based preparations play a major role in the ayurvedic healing process. In broad
terms, there is no substance in the world that cannot be used as a potential medicine. 2 Traditional ayurvedic
texts warn against the use of substances that are not adequately understood. 3 Any plant, animal, or mineral
substance can be incorporated into the ayurvedic pharmacopeia, but only if it is understood fully, in terms of
its nomenclature, identity, properties, and applications. 4 The texts also warn against the abuse of well-known
medicines, emphasizing the point that even poisons can have medicinal properties when used appropriately,
whereas the best of medicines can be harmful if improperly used. 3 Of nearly 10 000 plants used for medicinal
purposes in the Indian subcontinent, only 1200 to 1500 have been incorporated into the official ayurvedic
pharmacopeia in more than 3000 years. All plants must be studied thoroughly before becoming part of the
ayurvedic pharmacopeia.3
The Role of Food

Food plays a major role in ayurvedic practice by supporting the body’s healing processes. Metabolic
diseases and diseases of the gastrointestinal tract are directly influenced by food. Food can also indirectly
affect diseases of the skin, muscles, and joints, as well as neurological, gynaecological, and psychological
disease.

Infrequent consumption is unlikely to cause a problem, but frequent consumption of inappropriate foods will
cause disease or worsen existing disease. Advice on food depends not only on the disease but also on the
disease condition and the dosha involved. Because of this, food advice may change throughout the course of
a disease, depending on the stage reached. Interactions between foods and medicines are a major issue.
The advice given with regard to food must take account of the medicines prescribed, otherwise potential
interactions may worsen patients’ conditions.
The Action of Indian Spices

The second strongest influence on patients’ doshas, after food, is spices. Many spices are strong by nature.
Spices are obtained from the roots, flowers, fruits, seeds, or bark of plants or herbs. Spices are native to
warm, tropical climates. Coming from woody or herbaceous plants, spices have a different active principle,
which gives them specific characters. These active principles have specific functions within the body. The
phytochemicals within spices are secondary metabolites, which serve to protect the plants from damage by
insects, animals, fungi, pathogens, and parasites. Before consumption, most spices are dried to degrade
these chemicals. Drying also increases the resulting spices’ shelf life and potency.

The action of spices within the body differs according to the ways that they are used. Spices are mostly used
for their natural flavor and aroma in processing food. In addition to adding taste, some spices (cumin, ginger,
coriander) also have preventative effects, aiding digestion through the production of digestive enzymes.
When mixed with digestive juices, these substances aid absorption. Such spices have individual effects, their
actions depending on the constitution of the person concerned and their disease. Indian food is becoming
increasingly popular and is often seen as healthy. From an ayurvedic perspective, healthy food is food that is
used in a healthy way. From this viewpoint, spicy and pungent foods are not necessarily “good” foods. Indian
food is not automatically ayurvedic, because the latter insists that individual’s health situation be taken into
account. People with gastric hyperacidity or gastric or intestinal inflammation may find their health worsened
by exposure to some Indian spices.
Ayurvedic Medicinal Plants

Approximately 90% of ayurvedic preparations are plant based. Ayurvedic plants have a stronger action on
the body than either food or spices. Such actions enable the plant to reverse pathophysiological processes
and stabilize the doshas. For this reason, one should use such plants with caution. Classical ayurvedic
preparations, made from such plants, are known as “yoga” in Sanskrit. Yogas have developed following
years’ of practical experience combining plants to get the optimal effect.

Polyherbal combinations have also proven lastingly effective than single herbs. In ayurveda, most of the
classical preparations are polyherbal, with a combination of 3 to 30 plants involved. These constituents are
combined accurately, in such a way that the formula is balanced and reproducible. One or two of the plants in
these combinations will be active and the others will play a supporting role. The supporting herbs will each
have different actions, acting as catalysts to help proper absorption, transportation, and to reduce toxicity. If
an ideal combination is delivered, then the result can be excellent, but such outcomes are based on thorough
plant knowledge (see Figure 1).
Ayurvedic Plants: Misuse and Self-Medication

While societal use of ayurvedic plants and Indian spices is commonplace, without ill effect, the use of more
concentrated products made from single plants, often in the form of teas or tablets, is of more concern.
Ayurvedic plants are generally seen as safe and free from side effects, which is not always true. Table 1 lists
some undesirable effects of improper use of ayurvedic herbs. Some of the common plants sold in the market
are tulsi (Figure 2), guduchi (Figure 3), and pippali (Figure 4).

Ayurveda Branding as Teas

Classified as vata, pitta, or kapha teas, these products are marketed for their supposed beneficial effects on
individuals’ corresponding dosha problems. From an ayurvedic perspective, diseases certainly seem to arise
from the improper function of these 3 doshas. Ancient texts list 80 vata diseases, 40 pitta diseases, and
20 kapha diseases. The more recent recognition of new diseases should make this number even higher. The
complex pathophysiology of modern disease means that the symptoms that individuals experience are
always a combination of 2 or 3 doshas. This complexity means that ayurvedic preparations must be equally
complex. In the classics, 63 major combinations of doshas have been listed and this complexity needs to be
considered to elicit therapeutic effects. For example, migraine, low back pain, or arthritis of the knee can
occur from vata imbalance. These diseases have different pathophysiological mechanisms, manifesting
themselves in different body regions. To treat these conditions, drugs that act on the selected region are
chosen. Compounds made from groups of plants are then combined in prescribed ways to achieve the
desired effects. This means that undifferentiated concepts of vata-, pitta-, and kapha-related teas are
nonsensical. Most of the above-mentioned teas contain a variety of nonspecific, commonly used, spices.
While these teas can certainly be consumed for refreshment purposes, they will not cure disease.
The Rationale for Ayurvedic Formulations and Actions

Ayurvedic products are mainly composed of herbal combinations. 16 In certain parts of India, ayurvedic
formulations also contain heavy metals. Traditional texts such as Charaka Samhitha, Susrutha Samhitha,
and Ashtanga Samgraha do not describe the use of heavy metals—clearly this is a later development. Heavy
metals are toxic and are not permitted at any level in modern pharmaceuticals. By contrast, in ayurvedic
preparations, metals may be added for their perceived therapeutic effects to form rasausadhies (herbo-bio-
mineral metallic preparations). In ayurveda, the use of metals and minerals as medicines have been
recommended only after purification (shodhana) and that with recommended low dose, with specific vehicle
(anupana), for a particular period and obeying dos and donts in relation to diet, activities, and environment.
Ayurveda has also described the toxic effect, complications, and diseases caused due to ingestion of raw or
improperly processed metallic preparations. Researches have revealed the metal content in a number of
ayurvedic rasausadhies and toxicity cases due to ayurvedic herbal consumptions have been reported
throughout the last decade, especially those sold through the Internet. 17 Such metals are not found in pure
herbal ayurvedic preparations.18

Traditional ayurvedic texts note that quality-assured ayurvedic compounds are strong and potent enough to
combat disease. The parts of the plants chosen for use are also important. Depending on the plants
concerned, and the medical combinations involved, the leaves, flowers, seeds, bark, roots, or skin of the
plant may be chosen. The particular combination chosen results from extensive practical experience of the
constituents needed to achieve the maximal effect. The mechanisms by which polyherbal drugs and their
extracts act differ in many respects from the actions of single substances or synthetic drugs. 19,20

Polyherbalism has its roots in the earliest texts of ayurveda like Caraka Samhita, Susrutha
Samhitha, Ashtanga Hrudaya, which systematizes the pharmaceutical procedures. The traditional Ayurvedic
text Sarangdhar Samhita, which dates from 1300 AD, highlights the concept of polyherbalism in this ancient
medical system.21 Most ayurvedic formulations are polyherbal.22,23 While the active phytochemical
constituents of individual plants are well established, they are usually present only in minute amounts and
are, thus, insufficient to achieve the desired therapeutic effects. 18 Recent research shows that combining
plants of varying potency enhances their effect, both when compared to individual plant use and also to the
sum of their individual effect. This phenomenon is known as synergy. Some pharmacological actions, from
the active constituents of some herbs, have proven to be significant only when potentiated by those of other
plants, but are not evident when used alone. 18 Two mechanisms have been proposed for these actions:
pharmacokinetic synergy and pharmacodynamic synergy. 24 The former is based on herbs’ perceived ability to
facilitate the absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination of other herbs. The latter concerns the
synergistic effect of active constituents with similar therapeutic actions targeting similar receptors or
physiological systems. Most diseases are caused by a multiplicity of factors, leading to both visible and
invisible symptoms. A combination of herbs may act on multiple targets at the same time to provide thorough
relief.25

There is a misconception that ayurvedic preparations, being natural, are always safe. This is untrue. Charaka
Samhita notes that ayurvedic medicines have adverse effects when prepared and/or used
inappropriately.26 Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India sets standards of drugs/ingredients mentioned in
different formulations of Ayurvedic Formulary of India. There are also 56 referral texts described under the
Drugs and Cosmetics Act. Apart from these, there have been several other ayurvedic texts written during
1000 BC to 19th century. The numbers of medicinal plants have gradually increased from the Vedic period to
modern era inducting more number of indigenous medicinal plants as well as exotic plants. The Charaka
Samhita stresses the factors to be considered when selecting formulations’ constituents, including plants’
habitat, the season in which they grow, the prevailing harvesting conditions, the selected method of storage,
and the chosen method of pharmaceutical processing. 27 However, herbs are natural materials, and their
constituents may vary due to differing geographical locations, climatic conditions, environmental hazards,
harvesting methods, and collection protocols. Such factors make it difficult to standardize or reproduce the
quality of the end product.28

The concept of bioavailability is broadly defined as the absorption and utilization of a nutrient. 29 The degree
and quantity of penetration of a herbal drug, or its active ingredients, is determined by its
bioavailability.30,31 Bioavailability can depend on the chemical complexity of an herb, due to the synergistic
and antagonistic actions of its constituents, in promoting absorption. A drug’s hydrophobic properties
determine its ability to cross the luminal wall, as do the gut microflora, patients’ liver function, and the
chemical modifications made by the herbal constituents. Herbal drugs must cross the blood-brain barrier if
they are to affect the central nervous system, but there is a dearth of literature on Indian herbs, especially
ones with potential antioxidant-stimulating properties, on this important topic. 32 The synergistic interactions of
herbs can play an important role in their bioavailability. Long pepper, black pepper, and ginger can all
increase the bioavailability of some compounds. 33 Person-to-person variation in gut micro flora and hepatic
activity also play a role in systemic absorption. 34
Methods of Drug Administration in Ayurveda

Drug administration methods differ in ayurveda and conventional modern medicine. In the latter, most
medications are synthetic; their administration influences the stomach and intestine. Most conventional
medications are thus administered after food. Ayurveda has narrated timings of medication according to the
patient’s nature, disease, and the condition of disease. Ayurvedic preparations are also administered on
empty stomach. As the latter preparations are plant-based, they are slow-acting. The absorption of ayurvedic
plant preparations occurs as part of normal metabolism. Ayurvedic preparations must be broken down for
digestion in the gastrointestinal tract and has to get digested in the stomach and intestine, before getting into
blood circulation and before reaching the target organ and bring about treatment action. For ayurvedic
physicians, patients’ digestive strength is thus important. Ayurvedic preparations must undergo many
digestive processes before being absorbed as part of normal metabolism. Ayurvedic physicians therefore
analyze their patients’ metabolic state before treatment, as a matter of course, aiming for optimal stability and
the least gastrointestinal damage.

Ayurvedic medicines exist in different formats, including decoctions, powders, pastes, fermented products,
tablets, and medicinal butters (ghees). The formats used, whether liquids, pastes or tablets, are linked to
preparations’ efficacy. If the format is changed, then the desired effect may be lost and potential side effects
created. The parts of the plants used as ingredients are also very important. Sometimes, ayurvedic
preparations are administered alongside other natural products, such as honey, salt, or milk, to get specific
actions, according to the disease condition experienced. In Sanskrit, these natural products are
termed Anupana. These natural products also help minimize any side effects. The timing of ayurveda
preparations also varies according to the specific disease and its condition.
Conclusion

From the above discussion, it is clear that many factors must be considered in prescribing or taking ayurvedic
medicine. Despite the fact that ayurvedic medicines are based on natural herbal materials, their safety
depends on their method of administration, taking account of individuals’ needs and their specific disease
conditions. The unguided consumption of ayurvedic preparations, in the mistaken belief that spices and
herbs will necessarily be safe, may lead to serious health issues. A thorough awareness of these plants’
actions is needed for their safe selection and consumption.
Introduction

The term “medicinal plant” include various types of plants used in herbalism ("herbology" or "herbal medicine"). It is the use
of plants for medicinal purposes, and the study of such uses.

The word “herb” has been derived from the Latin word, “herba” and an old French word “herbe”. Now a days, herb refers to
any part of the plant like fruit, seed, stem, bark, flower, leaf, stigma or a root, as well as a non-woody plant. Earlier, the term
“herb” was only applied to non-woody plants, including those that come from trees and shrubs. These medicinal plants are also
used as food, flavonoid, medicine or perfume and also in certain spiritual activities.

Plants have been used for medicinal purposes long before prehistoric period. Ancient Unani manuscripts Egyptian papyrus and
Chinese writings described the use of herbs.  Evidence exist that Unani Hakims, Indian Vaids and European and Mediterranean
cultures were using herbs for over 4000 years as medicine. Indigenous cultures such as Rome, Egypt, Iran, Africa and America
used herbs in their healing rituals, while other developed traditional medical systems such as Unani, Ayurveda and Chinese
Medicine in which herbal therapies were used systematically.

Traditional systems of medicine continue to be widely practised on many accounts. Population rise, inadequate supply of drugs,
prohibitive cost of treatments, side effects of several synthetic drugs and development of resistance to currently used drugs for
infectious diseases have led to increased emphasis on the use of plant materials as a source of medicines for a wide variety of
human ailments.

Among ancient civilisations, India has been known to be rich repository of medicinal plants. The forest in India is the principal
repository of large number of medicinal and aromatic plants, which are largely collected as raw materials for manufacture of
drugs and perfumery products. About 8,000 herbal remedies have been codified in AYUSH systems in INDIA. Ayurveda, Unani,
Siddha and Folk (tribal) medicines are the major systems of indigenous medicines. Among these systems, Ayurveda and Unani
Medicine are most developed and widely practised in India.

Recently, WHO (World Health Organization) estimated that 80 percent of people worldwide rely on herbal medicines for some
aspect of their primary health care needs. According to WHO, around 21,000 plant species have the potential for being used as
medicinal plants.

As per data available over three-quarters of the world population relies mainly on plants and plant extracts for their health care
needs. More than 30% of the entire plant species, at one time or other were used for medicinal purposes. It has been estimated,
that in developed countries such as United States, plant drugs constitute as much as 25% of the total drugs, while in fast
developing countries such as India and China, the contribution is as much as 80%. Thus, the economic importance of medicinal
plants is much more to countries such as India than to rest of the world. These countries provide two third of the plants used in
modern system of medicine and the health care system of rural population depend on indigenous systems of medicine.

Treatment with medicinal plants is considered very safe as there is no or minimal side effects. These remedies are in sync with
nature, which is the biggest advantage. The golden fact is that, use of herbal treatments is independent of any age groups and
the sexes.

The ancient scholars only believed that herbs are only solutions to cure a number of health related problems and diseases.
They conducted thorough study about the same, experimented to arrive at accurate conclusions about the efficacy of different
herbs that have medicinal value. Most of the drugs, thus formulated, are free of side effects or reactions. This is the reason why
herbal treatment is growing in popularity across the globe. These herbs that have medicinal quality provide rational means for
the treatment of many internal diseases, which are otherwise considered difficult to cure.

Medicinal plants such as Aloe, Tulsi, Neem, Turmeric  and Ginger cure several common ailments. These are considered
as home remedies in many parts of the country. It is known fact that lots of consumers are using Basil ( Tulsi) for making
medicines, black tea, in pooja and other activities in their day to day life.
In several parts of the world many herbs are used to honour their kings showing it as a symbol of luck. Now, after finding the
role of herbs in medicine, lots of consumers started the plantation of tulsi and other medicinal plants in their home gardens.

Medicinal plants are considered as a rich resources of ingredients which can be used in drug development either
pharmacopoeial, non- pharmacopoeial or synthetic drugs. A part from that, these plants play a critical role in the development of
human cultures around the whole world. Moreover, some plants are considered as important source of nutrition and as a result
of that they are recommended for their therapeutic values. Some of these plants include ginger, green tea, walnuts, aloe,
pepper and turmeric etc. Some plants and their derivatives are considered as important source for active ingredients which are
used in aspirin and toothpaste etc.

Apart from the medicinal uses, herbs are also used in natural dye, pest control, food, perfume, tea and so on. In many countries
different kinds of medicinal plants/ herbs are used to keep ants, flies, mice and flee away from homes and offices. Now a days
medicinal herbs are important sources for pharmaceutical manufacturing.

Recipes for the treatment of common ailments such as diarrhoea, constipation, hypertension, low sperm count, dysentery and
weak penile erection, piles, coated tongue, menstrual disorders, bronchial asthma, leucorrhoea and fevers are given by the
traditional medicine practitioners very effectively.

Over the past two decades, there has been a tremendous increase in the use of herbal medicine; however, there is still a
significant lack of research data in this field. Therefore since 1999, WHO has published three volumes of the WHO monographs
on selected medicinal plants.

Importance of some herbs with their medicinal values

 Herbs such as black pepper, cinnamon, myrrh, aloe, sandalwood, ginseng, red clover, burdock, bayberry, and safflower
are used to heal wounds, sores and boils.
 Basil, Fennel, Chives, Cilantro, Apple Mint, Thyme, Golden Oregano, Variegated Lemon Balm, Rosemary, Variegated
Sage are some important medicinal herbs and can be planted in kitchen garden. These herbs are easy to grow, look
good, taste and smell amazing and many of them are magnets for bees and butterflies.
 Many herbs are used as blood purifiers to alter or change a long-standing condition by eliminating the metabolic toxins.
These are also known as 'blood cleansers'. Certain herbs improve the immunity of the person, thereby reducing
conditions such as fever.
 Some herbs are also having antibiotic properties. Turmeric is useful in inhibiting the growth of germs, harmful microbes
and bacteria. Turmeric is widely used as a home remedy to heal cut and wounds.
 To reduce fever and the production of heat caused by the condition, certain antipyretic herbs such as Chirayta, black
pepper, sandal wood and safflower are recommended by traditional Indian medicine practitioners.
 Sandalwood and Cinnamon are great astringents apart from being aromatic. Sandalwood is especially used in arresting
the discharge of blood, mucus etc.
 Some herbs are used to neutralize the acid produced by the stomach. Herbs such as marshmallow root and leaf. They
serve as antacids. The healthy gastric acid needed for proper digestion is retained by such herbs.
 Indian sages were known to have remedies from plants which act against poisons from animals and snake bites.
 Herbs like Cardamom and Coriander are renowned for their appetizing qualities. Other aromatic herbs such as
peppermint, cloves and turmeric add a pleasant aroma to the food, thereby increasing the taste of the meal.
 Some herbs like aloe, sandalwood, turmeric, sheetraj hindi and khare khasak are commonly used as antiseptic and are
very high in their medicinal values.
 Ginger and cloves are used in certain cough syrups. They are known for their expectorant property, which promotes the
thinning and ejection of mucus from the lungs, trachea and bronchi. Eucalyptus, Cardamom, Wild cherry and cloves are
also expectorants.
  Herbs such as Chamomile, Calamus, Ajwain, Basil, Cardamom, Chrysanthemum, Coriander, Fennel, Peppermint and
Spearmint, Cinnamon, Ginger and Turmeric are helpful in promoting good blood circulation. Therefore, they are used as
cardiac stimulants.
 Certain medicinal herbs have disinfectant property, which destroys disease causing germs. They also inhibit the growth
of pathogenic microbes that cause communicable diseases.
 Herbal medicine practitioners recommend calmative herbs, which provide a soothing effect to the body. They are often
used as sedatives.
 Certain aromatic plants such as Aloe, Golden seal, Barberry and Chirayata are used as mild tonics. The bitter taste of
such plants reduces toxins in blood. They are helpful in destroying infection as well.
 Certain herbs are used as stimulants to increase the activity of a system or an organ, for example herbs like Cayenne
(Lal Mirch, Myrrh, Camphor and Guggul.
  A wide variety of herbs including Giloe, Golden seal, Aloe and Barberry are used as tonics. They can also be nutritive
and rejuvenate a healthy as well as diseased individual.
 Honey, turmeric, marshmallow and liquorice can effectively treat a fresh cut and wound. They are termed as vulnerary
herbs.

CURRENT STATUS

Ayurveda is widely practiced in India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal [74] where public institutions offer formal study in the form
of a Bachelor of Ayurveda, Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) degree. In certain parts of the world, the legal standing of
practitioners is equivalent to that of conventional medicine. [74] Several scholars have described the contemporary Indian
application of Ayurvedic practice as being "biomedicalized" relative to the more "spiritualized" emphasis to practice found in
variants in the West.[75][73]

Exposure to European developments in medicine from the nineteenth century onwards, through European colonization of
India and the subsequent institutionalized support for European forms of medicine amongst European heritage settlers in
India[76] were challenging to Ayurveda, with the entire epistemology called into question. From the twentieth century, Ayurveda
became politically, conceptually, and commercially dominated by modern biomedicine, resulting in "Modern Ayurveda" and
"Global Ayurveda".[22] Modern Ayurveda is geographically located in the Indian subcontinent and tends towards secularization
through minimization of the magic and mythic aspects of Ayurveda. [22][23] Global Ayurveda encompasses multiple forms of
practice that developed through dispersal to a wide geographical area outside of India. [22] Smith and Wujastyk further delineate
that Global Ayurveda includes those primarily interested in the Ayurveda pharmacopeia, and also the practitioners of New
Age Ayurveda (which may link Ayurveda to yoga and Indian spirituality and/or emphasize preventative practice, mind body
medicine, or Maharishi Ayurveda). [23]
Since the 1980s, Ayurveda has also become the subject of interdisciplinary studies in ethnomedicine which seeks to integrate
the biomedical sciences and humanities to improve the pharmacopeia of Ayurveda. [23] According to Industry Research, the
global Ayurveda market was worth US$4.5 billion in 2017. [77]