Ayurvedic medicine centers around the concept of balance, which starts at birth with the inborn qualities every newborn possesses (a state called "prakriti") and continues throughout life in the kind of choices we make about our mates, friends, foods, occupations and hobbies (a state called "vikruti"). The ideal in Ayurvedic medicine is to try to stay as close as possible to the state of "prakriti"; if one is pulled too much toward "vikruti," one's energy is said to be out of balance. Ayurveda practitioners call this "dosha imbalance," and try to identify diseases based on these off-kilter energy patters. Therefore, to treat diseases and various conditions, Ayurveda employs not just herbs, but also incorporates yoga, dietary restrictions and meditation into its healing routines.
However, according to the Mayo Clinic, there have not been many extensive scientific studies conducted on the safety of Ayurvedic medicines, especially ones that use metals or herbs, which have the potential to be toxic, so the Mayo Clinic recommends always having medical supervision when taking any ayruvedic medicines.
Anti-Bacterial
One of the main anti-bacterial medical herbs, besides garlic, used in Ayurveda is neem oil, which comes from the fruits and seeds of Azadirachta indica, an evergreen tree that is native to India. Ayurvedic practitioners use neem oil either by itself or with other herbs to treat such conditions as acne, inflammations, fevers, rheumatic disorders, malaria, tuberculosis and even leprosy.
Anti-Anxiety
There is a long list of anti-anxiety Ayurvedic medications, but one of the more common ones comes from the Bacopa monari herb (Brahmi). Practitioners recommend rubbing Brahmi oil on the scalp before going to sleep--and/or inhaling Brahmi vapors--and claim that it promotes better sleep and reduces anxiety.
Pain Killers
Ayurveda breaks up pain killers into three groups: local analgesics, central analgesics and body-ache medications. Local analgesics are topically applied to a specific part of the body, and often include paste preparations (e.g. Belladonna); central analgesics (e.g., Dhatura) are more powerful than local analgesics, and are often combined with strict dietary restrictions; and body-ache medications are used to combat stress and fatigue (e.g., Balam and Patala).
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