Ancient Wisdom.
Modern Understanding.

Agarwood (Agaru / अगर)

Aquilaria agallocha Roxb.

Agarwood is Krimija, the resinous heartwood born of fungal infection. Hot, bitter, and pungent, it calms Vata-Kapha, eases Hridroga, asthma, and stubborn skin disease.

Ajwain (Carom Seeds / यवानी)

Trachyspermum ammi syn. Trachyapermum copticum, Carum copticum/roxburghianum/ajowan, Ptychotis ajowan

Deliciously aromatic, ajwain is a wonderful remedy for sluggish digestion and coughs. A truly warming seed.

Almond (Badam / बादाम)

Prunus amygdalus Batsch.

Almond (Vatama) is Ayurveda's Medhya nut: 5-7 kernels soaked overnight, peeled at dawn, sharpen Smriti and rebuild Kshaya. Badam Rogan oils Vata skin and Nasya.

Aloe Vera (Kumari / कुमारी)

Aloe barbadensis Mill. (Syn. A. vera Tourn. ex Linn.)

Kumari, Aloe Vera, is Ayurveda's cooling Rasayana for liver, skin, and stuck bowels. 10-20 ml gel cools Pitta and Raktapitta; dried Musabbar moves Apana Vayu.

Amla (Amalaki)

Emblica officinalis

Amla (Indian Gooseberry) is the most revered herb in Ayurveda — ranked by the Charaka Samhita as the single best Rasayana among all fruits. It contains one of the highest concentrations of Vitamin C found in any food (600–900 mg per fruit), stabilized by tannins so it remains potent even after drying. Classical texts classify it as Tridosha Shamaka — balancing to all three doshas — with a particular strength in cooling Pitta, nourishing the blood, and rebuilding tissues after illness.

Aragvadha (Cassia Fistula / अरग्वध)

Cassia fistula

A gentle laxative used to clear pitta from the intestines.

Arjuna (अर्जुन)

Terminalia arjuna (Roxb.) W. & A.

Arjuna is the heart-muscle Rasayana, Vagbhata's drug of choice for Hridroga. Bark powder 3-6g in warm milk steadies angina, lowers cholesterol, mends fractures.

Ashoka (Saraca asoca / अशोक)

Saraca indica

Ashoka is a famous uterine tonic specifically used for excess bleeding and pain. Lord Buddha was born under the ashoka tree and Lord Ram’s wife Śı-ta was held captive in an ashoka grove in Sri Lanka. It literally means ‘remover of sorrow’, attesting to its ability to cure pain and discomfort.

Abdominal Colic (Shula)

Vit-Shula is colic, dry foods deranging Vata and snuffing Agni until pain seizes the lower belly. Hingvashtaka with ghee, warm castor oil, and Haritaki release it.

Acid Reflux (Amlapitta)

Acid reflux is Amlapitta, sharp Pitta scorching the stomach lining. Avipattikar churna cools the burn, Shatavari milk soothes, Amla at dawn rebuilds Agni without heat.

Acne (Yauvana Pidaka)

Acne is Yauvana Pidaka, Pitta surfacing through Rakta and Bhrajaka in the skin. Manjistha and Neem cool the blood, Triphala clears the gut, Kumari gel calms flares.

Acute Fever (Nava Jwara)

New or acute onset fever

Addictions

Addictions are Vayu's nervous dependency, Pitta's stubborn grip, Kapha's heavy clinging. Ashwagandha steadies the nerves, Brahmi clears the mind, Vacha breaks the loop.

Aging (Jara)

Described in Ayurveda as an autoimmune disease caused by repeated indulgence in sensory pleasures that destroys Ojas.

Abhyanga (Ayurvedic Oil Massage)

Ayurvedic oil massage that serves as one pathway to communicate with pithara agni at the cellular level.

Basti (Medicated Enema)

Medicated enema; one of the five panchakarma procedures, primarily used to eliminate excess vata via the colon.

Nasya (Nasal Therapy)

Panchakarma (Five Purification Therapies)

Ayurvedic cleansing therapies including snehana (oil massage), svedana (sweating), and basti that stimulate pilu and pithara agni to burn cellular ama.

Raktamokshana (Bloodletting)

Shirodhara (Oil Pouring Therapy)