Concept of interactions between consumable substances in Ayurveda with special reference to foods and drugs

Abstract

Ayurvedic medicines are available in the market as over-the-counter products. Today people use prescription and nonprescription medicines along with Ayurvedic medicines for quick relief from ailments. In the ancient texts of Ayurveda, the concept of interactions with various examples of food interactions and food-drug interactions are mentioned. Recent studies and publications reported drug interactions of Ayurveda medicines and modern drugs. In the present review article, the concept of interactions mentioned in the Ayurvedic texts along with the examples of food interactions, food-drug interactions and the recent research work and publications indicating the interactions of the Ayurvedic drugs and drug interactions of Ayurvedic medicines and modern drugs are compiled. This will help the consumer of the prescription and nonprescription medicines with the Ayurvedic medicines to be cautious about the probable interactions.

Herbal Medicine in India

“…Although many Ayurveda practitioners claim that heavy metal poisoning occurs due to the inadequate processing of heavy metals before they are used in Ayurvedic medicines (i.e., if the exact processing methods, as mentioned in Ayurvedic classical texts, are not followed), but robustly designed scientific studies are still lacking on this issue. In addition, many people simultaneously use multiple western and/or traditional medicines (i.e., polypharmacy) -many times without any evidence of effectiveness and safety and can lead to harmful drug-drug interactions (Aslam et al, 1995;Bhamra et al, 2017;Bush et al, 2007;Sarkar et al, 2013). Thus, strong concerns remain about the sub-optimal management and care of many people, arising from the unacceptable One of the major hurdles in the globalisation of Ayurveda is its poor scientific evidence base.…”

Ayurveda, Longevity, and Aging

“…Inappropriate polypharmacy is another serious issue, as many people simultaneously use multiple medicines, which can lead to harmful drugdrug interactions. There is hardly any good quality research on this aspect from the safety point of view (Sarkar et al 2013).…”

Anthelmintic evaluation of three ayurvedic formulations: a transmission electron microscopy study in Raillietina sp. (Cestoda)

“…In recent times, Ayurveda has taken a household name in India and is considered an alternative to modern medicine. The common man in India believes that Ayurvedic drugs are devoid of adverse effects and are relatively safe, since they are not only time-tested but prepared from natural products (Sarkar et al 2013;Paudyal et al 2019). A wide publicity of Ayurvedic medicines in various platforms has contributed to their increasing demand in India, and therefore the safety and e cacy and quality control studies on Ayurvedic medicines has become a key concern for the public and health authorities (Mahajon et al 2023).…”