A Spectrum of Psychoactive Drugs in Ayurveda

Abstract

We are in the 21^st century, to fulfill minimum requirements like food, shelter, clothing etc; we are struggling day by day in the stressful atmosphere where demand and supply ratio is improper, so that the people are trying to overcome the stressful situation that may be financial or social aspect, but after lot of struggle few of them able to get their appropriate job and lot of people compromise what they get and many people still struggling. So, here the importance of psychoactive drugs comes because, as we know that our body is psychosomatic in nature, once we suffer from mental ailments it will further lead to physical diseases and vice versa. So, here the importance of psychotropic drugs comes. A psychoactive drug or psychotropic is any chemical substance that changes brain function and results in alterations in perception, mood, or consciousness. Ayurveda has a large no of drugs, which acts as a psychotropic in nature. The uses of psychotropic drugs, highlighted as “medhya dravyas” and “medhyarasayanas” either as a single drug or in the form of compound formulations, these drugs are used for a long time in various ailments like insanity, epilepsy, hysteria, personality disorder, stress and anxiety. This review covers a broad spectrum of Ayurvedic drugs used in psychosomatic disorders.

Keywords: Psychotropic, neurotransmitter, anxiolytic, psychoactive, stress

Cite this Article

Gupta Shalini, Dora Binod B., A Spectrum of Psychoactive Drugs in Ayurveda. Research and Reviews: Journal of Herbal Science (RRJoHS). 2015; 4(2): 16–20p.