Rise of Medicinal Plants in India

Ayurveda’s Role in India’s Herbal Economy

Post-COVID pandemic, a medicinal plant, Giloy (Tinospora cordifolia), saw a major spike in research reports as experts explored natural immunity and disease management properties.

Giloy, a herbaceous vine of the family Menispermaceae, is deeply ingrained in India’s traditional medicine system, Ayurveda, which includes plant-based therapy as a core component of its healing practices.

All parts of the plant are used in Ayurvedic medicine.

Giloy is also known as Amrita in Hindi, a word that means immortality, underscoring its significance.

People grow the plant in their gardens and use its stems and leaves to improve digestion, boost immunity and overall metabolism.

It is readily available as a supplement in pill, capsule, dried powder, and tincture (juice made from the roots and stems) forms.

Coming back to Ayurveda, an ancient practice that uses hundreds of medicinal plants, apart from Giloy, to balance the body’s three doshas (types of substances), Vata, Pitta, and Kapha, which are believed to govern health and disease.

Each plant has specific properties that influence how it interacts with these doshas.