Ayurveda in Preventive and Supportive Healthcare: Current Evidence, Safety, and Clinical Integration

Area of Science:

• Integrative Medicine
• Traditional Indian Medicine
• Evidence-Based Healthcare

Background:

• Ayurveda, an ancient healthcare system, emphasizes prevention and personalized care, gaining traction in integrative medicine.
• Clinical acceptance is hindered by inconsistent evidence, variable protocols, and challenges in aligning traditional and modern diagnostics.
• Growing global use necessitates a critical examination of its therapeutic relevance in contemporary healthcare.

Purpose of the Study:

• To critically review the therapeutic relevance of Ayurveda in modern healthcare across various medical domains.
• To synthesize evidence from diverse sources, including clinical studies, pharmacological research, and traditional frameworks.
• To explore the potential of emerging technologies like Ayurgenomics and AI in modernizing Ayurvedic practices.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive narrative review approach was employed.
• Evidence was synthesized from clinical studies, pharmacological investigations, traditional Ayurvedic texts, and integrative healthcare literature.
• The review focused on applications in metabolic, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, mental health, and preventive care, among others.

Main Results:

• Specific Ayurvedic interventions (herbal formulations, Panchakarma, yoga, diet, lifestyle) show potential benefits in selected conditions, impacting markers like cardiometabolic risk, pain, and quality of life.
• Many claims require further validation due to methodological weaknesses, lack of standardization, and insufficient safety data.
• Ayurgenomics and AI show promise for personalized assessment, diagnostics, and pharmacovigilance.

Conclusions:

• Ayurveda can meaningfully contribute to modern healthcare as complementary and preventive care within regulated systems.
• Rigorous trials, validated biomarkers, quality-controlled formulations, and transparent safety monitoring are crucial for future advancement.
• Integration requires bridging traditional concepts with modern biomedical standards through evidence-based approaches and technological innovation.