Single drug review: Yashtimadhu

There is a need to renovate Ayurveda into a dynamic, scientifically validated and evidence based which takes its heritage from rich knowledge base of oral practice and scriptures.  A vast majority of prescription drugs used in the world contain compounds that are directly or indirectly, via semi-synthesis, derived from plants. The World Health Organization estimates that 80 % of the world’s population relies on traditional healing modalities and herbs. There are many sources of such kind of healing modalities in Ayurveda. Numbers of single drug remedies are documented in many Ayurvedic texts. These are traditionally used by experienced and successful Ayurvedic physicians.  In this study single herbal drug namely Yashtimadu, based on easily available medicinal plants are scientifically studied out. Botanical sources of the respective medicinal plant along with their indications and mode of uses are tabulated. Available scientific data regarding the particular therapeutic uses are analysed. The study also suggests that scientific screening of the medicinal plants should be done in order to justify the textual references.