Ayurvedic Herbs for Stress & Anxiety

Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal · Ashvagandha, Vajikari, Balada, Kushtagandhi, Varahakarni · Part used: Root (primary — all major clinical trials use root extractA concentrated preparation made by pulling the active compounds out of a raw herb, usually using water, alcohol, or another solvent — generally stronger, dose-for-dose, than the raw plant material.; Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India Part I Volume I specifies root as official part); leaf (used in some commercial extracts, withanolide content differs from root); berry (folk use only, insufficient clinical data)

Bacopa monnieri (L.) Pennell · Brahmi (ब्राह्मी) · Part used: Whole aerial plant (Panchanga — entire above-ground portion: stem, leaves, flowers, and fruit used together). Fresh plant juice (Swarasa) is considered most potent in classical preparations. Dried whole plant powder is used in commercial formulations. Root is not traditionally used medicinally.

Tinospora cordifolia (Willd.) Miers · Guduchi, Amrita, Chinnodbhava, Chakralakshnika, Tantrika, Kundalini, Vatsadani · Part used: Stem (primary — the most extensively researched part; used in classical Ayurvedic preparations and all major clinical trials); root (higher alkaloidA class of naturally occurring, often bitter-tasting plant compounds that frequently have strong effects on the body — caffeine and morphine are both examples of alkaloids. concentration; used in some traditional preparations); leaves and aerial parts (used in folk medicine and some contemporary formulations). Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India (API) Part I Volume III specifies the stem as the official pharmacopoeial part.

Strychnos nux-vomica L. · Kupilu (कुपीलु) / Vishatinduka / Kuchla · Part used: Seed (primary — official in AyurvedaA traditional system of medicine from India, thousands of years old, that focuses on balance between mind, body, and diet — often using herbs, food, and lifestyle changes rather than isolated drugs., Unani, TCM, HomeopathyAn alternative medicine system, distinct from Ayurveda and herbalism, based on using highly diluted substances. It's a different tradition from the herbal/Ayurvedic approach used elsewhere on this site. pharmacopoeias): dried ripe seeds used exclusively after mandatory ShodhanaAyurvedic purification or detoxification — either of a patient (Panchakarma) or of toxic herbs to make them safe for use. (purification/detoxificationThe body's natural process of neutralising and eliminating waste products and toxins, carried out mainly by the liver and kidneys.). Raw unprocessed seeds are toxic and must never be used medicinally. Bark (secondary): used in some traditional formulations for fever and rheumatism. Root bark: used in classical texts for specific anti-parasitic preparations. Leaves: used topically for wound management and ulcers; also studied for grain protectant activity against storage pests. NOTE: All parts contain strychnineThe primary toxic alkaloid in Nux Vomica (Strychnos nux-vomica) — a glycine receptor antagonist; lethal in small doses without detoxification. and brucine. Internal use of any part without verified Shodhana processing is absolutely contraindicated.

Ficus religiosa L. · Ashvattha (अश्वत्थ) · Part used: Bark (Tvak): most studied and most used medicinal part; used in decoctions for skin, metabolic, and respiratory conditions. Leaf: used fresh as poultice and in decoctions; studied for antidiabetic and anti-inflammatory effects. Fruit: mild laxative; studied for antioxidantA substance that neutralises free radicals — unstable molecules that can damage cells and DNA when they accumulate. activity. Latex: topicalApplied directly to the skin or a specific body surface, rather than taken internally. use for warts and skin conditions; caustic at high concentrations. Root bark: used in classical texts for gum disease and wound healing. Tender shoots: used traditionally for diarrhea management. Seed: used in some classical preparations; limited modern pharmacological data.

Convolvulus pluricaulis Choisy · Shankhapushpi, Shankhahva, Sadaphuli, Mangalyakusuma, Ksheerapushpi · Part used: Whole plant — aerial parts including stem, leaf, flower, and root used together. Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India (API) Part I Volume III specifies the whole plant as the official part. Root alone used in some preparations. Significant identification problem: three botanically distinct species are sold and used under the name Shankhpushpi — Convolvulus pluricaulis Choisy, Evolvulus alsinoides (L.) L., and Clitoria ternatea L. These are pharmacologically non-equivalent. All published clinical studies must specify the botanical source — studies using an unspecified Shankhpushpi cannot be generalised.

Asparagus racemosus Willd. · Shatavari, Shatamuli, Bahusuta, Indivari, Vari, Dvipika · Part used: Tuberous roots (primary — fleshy, fasciculated root tubers, 30–100 cm long, 1–2 cm diameter); leaves and stems used in some regional folk preparations. Roots harvested in autumn when alkaloid and saponinA plant compound that forms a soap-like foam when mixed with water — found in many adaptogenic herbs and traditionally associated with a range of effects on the body. content is highest. Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India (API) Part I Volume I specifies roots as the official part.

Acorus calamus L. · Vacha, Ugragandha, Golomi, Sadgrantha · Part used: Rhizome (primary; API Part I Volume II specifies rhizome as official part)