Herbs Used in Ayurveda

With the growing popularity of natural health care, an increasing number of people are discovering the health benefits of the herbs that play essential roles in this millennia-old system of healing called Ayurveda. Below is a brief list of Ayurvedic herbs and some of their common indications in non-Ayurvedic terms for the general public.

acorus_calamus

crocus_sativus

asparagus_racemosus

datura_metel

artemisia_absinthium

Latin Name	Sanskrit Name	Main Indications in Ayurveda
Acorus calamus	Vacha	nervine, antispasmatic, sedative, stomachic, expectorant, emetic, laxative, diuretic
Artemesia absinthium	Indhana	anthelminthic
Artemisia vulgaris	Nagadamni	anthelminthic, expectorant
Asparagus racemosus	Shatavari	galactogogic, antispasmodic, antidiarrhetic, demulcent
Azadirachta indica	Neem, Arishta	skin disease, blood disease, antibacterial
Bacopa monnieri	Brahmi	nervine tonic, diuretic, sedative
Boerhavia diffusa	Punarnava	diuretic, expectorant, laxative
Boswellia serrata	Shallaki	antiarthritic, analgesic, antiinflammatory
Buchanania lazan	Piyala	skin disease, laxative
Butea monosperma	Palasa	diarrhea, flatulence, anthelminthic
Callicarpa macrophylla	Pringu	joint pain, skin disease, blooddisease
Calotropis gigantea	Alarka	bronchitis, diarrhea, tonic
Cannabis indica	Bhanga	insomnia, cachexia, dysmenorrhea
Capiscum annum	Katuvira	rubefacient, stimulant, tonic
Carum carvi	Krishnajira	flatulence, stomachic
Carum copticum	Yamani, Ajowan	spastic bowel, flatulence, dyspepsia
Cassia angustifolia	Markandika	constipation, liver disease, joint pain
Cassia fistula	Argbhada	ringworm, constipation, fever, antibacterial
Cedrus deodara	Devadaru	fever, diarrhea, urinary disorders
Centella asiatica	Mandukaparni	tonic, sedative, alterative, anxiolytic
Cichorium intybus	Kasni	emmenogogue, digestive
Cinnamomum camphora	Karpoor	diarrhea, nervousness, muscular pain, fever
Crocus sativus	Kumkuma	nervine sedative, emmenogogue, aphrodisiac
Cinnamomum zeylanicum	Twak	dyspepsia, flatulence, diarrhea, menorrhagia
Cissampelos pareira	Laghu Patha spastic	bowel, uterine prolapse,alterative
Clitoria ternatea	Aparajita	constipation, edema, anthelminthic,demulcent
Cocos nucifera	Narikela	fever, pharyngitis, skin disorders, alterative
Coleus aromaticus	Pashanbheda	kidney stones, conjunctivits, spastic colon
Cordia myxa (obliqua)	Shleshmataka	expectorant, colic, dyspepsia, ulcers, cough
Coriandrum sativum	Dhanyaka	flatulence, colic, joint pain, antiseptic
Crinum deflexum (asiaticum)	Sudarshan	emetic, inflammatory conditions
Cuminum cyminum	Jeeraka	diarrhea, dyspepsia, antiseptic,hookworm
Curculigo orchiodes	Talamulika	hemmorrhoids, asthma, kidney stones, skin
Curcuma longa	Haridra	arthritic pain, antiinflammatory, skin disease
Curcuma zedoaria	Shati	cough, asthma, leukorrhea, tonsillitis
Cynodon dactylon	Doorwa	diuretic, styptic, hematuria, hemmorrhoids
Cyperus rotundus	Mustaka	antiinflammatory, flatulence, fever, estrogenic
Datura metal	Dattura	antispasmodic, jointpain, asthma, dysmenorrhea
Daucus carota	Garijara	blood purifier, nervine tonic, jaundice
Dolichos biflorus	Kulitha	edema, kidney stone, asthma, dysmenorrhea, tumors
Eclipta Alba	Bhringaraj	hepatic deobstruent and tonic, alterative, emetic, purgative, antiseptic, antiviral
Elettaria cardamomum	Ela Chhoti	bronchitis, flatulence, dyspepsia, hemorrhoids
Emblica officinalis	Amalaki	fruit: cooling, laxative, stomachic, tonic, diuretic
Evolvulus alsinoides	Shankapushpi	anxiety, diarrhea, bronchitis, memory loss, fever
Ferula foetida	Hingu	flatulence, cough, constipation, palpitations,aphrodisia
Ficus religiosa	Aswatha	ulcers, skin disease, diabetes, constipation
Ficus racemosa	Udumbara	diarrhea, hemorrhoids, bleeding disorders, antiseptic
Foeniculum vulgare	Satupuspa	cough, flatulence, dysmenorrhea, hookworm, edema
Grewia hirsuta	Nagbala	diarrhea, wounds, heart disease, fever
Gmelina arborea	Gambhari	general tonic, to increase strength, antiviral, indigestion
Gymnema sylvestre	Meshasringa	diuretic, astringent, hypoglycemic, refrigerant, stomachic
Hemidesmus indicus	Sariva	excellent alterative, to increase appetite, cough, skin
Holarrhena antidysenterica	Kutaja	diarrhea, dysentery, amebiasis, anthelminthic
Hyoscyamus niger	Yavani	chronic dementia, hysteria, palpitations, asthma, sedative
Hyssopus officinalis	Zupha	cough, asthma, bronchitis, amenorrhea
Ipomoea digitata	Vidari	cough, hoarseness, respiratory stimulant, tonic
Justicia adhatoda	Vasaka	bronchitis, asthma, jaundice, antispasmodic
Linum usitatissimum	Uma	cystitis, bronchitis, boils, expectorant, demulcent
Luffa acutangula	Koshataki	splenomegaly, emetic, excellent for skin disease, expectorant
Madhuca longifolia	Madhuca	tonsillitis, cough, rheumatic joints, diabetes, appetizer
Michelia champaca	Champaka	gastritis, chronic arthritis (?), emmenagogue, diuretic, colic
Mimosa pudica	Lajjalu	menorrhagia, hemorrhoids,skin wounds, diarrhea
Mimusops elengi	Bakula	tonic, cardiotonic, urogenital disease, snakebite, skin sores
Morinda citrofolia	Ach	acne, eczema, hyperlipidemia,brochitis, diarrhea
Moringa oleifera	Sigru	source of vitamin C, colds, boils, fever, joint pain, gout
Mucuna pruriens	Kapikachchha	nervine tonic, aphrodisiac, parkinsonism, hypercholesterolemia
Nardostachys jatamansi	Jatamansi	nervousness, anxiety, dysmenorrhea, insomnia, hair tonic
Nelumbo nucifera	Parijata	refrigerant, sedative, demulcent
Nyctanthes arbor-tristis	Parijata	liver diseases, constipation, anthelminthic, antihistaminic
Ocimum sanctum	Tulasi	demulcent, expectorant, anticatarrhal, antispasmodic, anthelminthic
Paederia foetida	Prasarini	rheumatic joint pain, edema, bladderstones(?),inflammation
Papaver somniferum	Ahiphenam	anxiety, diarrhea, aphrodisiac, sedative
Peucedanum graveolens	Satapushpi	flatulence, colic, abscesses, digestive
Phyllanthus fraternus	Bhumiamalaki	jaundice, liver disease, fever, genitourinary disease, edema
Picrorhiza kurroa	Katuki	hepatitis, asthma, anorexia
Piper nigrum	Maricha	dyspepsia, cough, pharyngitis, headache, diarrhea
Plantago ovata	Isaphgol	constipation, colitis, irritable bowel, cystitis
Plumbago zeylanica	Chitraka	abortifacient, warts, rheumatic joint pain
Premna integrifolia	Agnimantha	flatulence, fever, arthritis, liver deobstruent
Prunus amygdalus	Badama	mental energy, general tonic esp. nerve & kidney, semen,
Pterocarpus santalinus	Rakta Chandana	skin tonic, liver disorders, fever
Punica granatum	Dadima	anthelminthic (esp. tapeworm), diarrhea, dyspepsia
Randia dumentorium	Madana	fruit and rind are emetic, diaphoretic, and antispasmodic; bark is sedative and nervine calmative.
Rauwolfia Serpentina	Sarpagandha	hypertension, anxiety, insomnia, colic