About source curation

The problem

The classical ayurvedic materia medica (Bhāvaprakāśa, Caraka Saṃhitā, Sushruta Saṃhitā, nighantus) directly documents only a few hundred plants — almost all native to, or historically used in, the Indian subcontinent. Brazilian, European or Chinese medicinal plants are not covered by these texts.

For these plants to be used within a responsible ayurvedic practice, they must be translated into the ayurvedic clinical vocabulary (rasa, vīrya, vipāka, guṇa, karma, doshic effect). This translation is not classical documentation — it is interpretation.

Methodology

For each non-classical plant, we combine three layers of evidence:

1. Regulatory / official source from the tradition of origin (when available): approved therapeutic indications, dosage, precautions, contraindications.
2. Ethnobotanical / traditional clinical literature: documented historical use, parts used, preparations, synergies.
3. Contemporary Ayurvedic framework: translation of the above evidence into rasa, vīrya, vipāka, guṇa and karma, based on the pharmacological criteria of Ayurveda (taste, potency, post-digestive effect, qualities, action).

The result is marked with medium confidence — visible only to authenticated therapists — and the tradition of origin is recorded in a dedicated field in the catalog. Classical plants (documented in the saṃhitās) do not receive this marking.

Principles

• Clinical honesty above coverage. When a plant lacks adequate documentation in the declared tradition, the field is left empty or given low confidence — we never invent properties.
• No forged prabhāva. Prabhāva (specific action unexplained by rasa/vīrya/vipāka) is a classical Indian concept and is not populated for non-classical plants, even when tempting.
• Precautions and contraindications first. For translated plants, pharmacological precautions (interactions, at-risk populations, toxic dose) take precedence over Ayurvedic clinical theory.
• Practical guidance, not dogma. The karmas listed are guidance for the therapist — they do not replace individualized clinical judgment nor exempt follow-up.

Bibliographic references

The references below were consulted for this curation. The Om platform is not endorsed by the authors or publishers cited — the references are strictly bibliographic in nature, in academic format, and aim at methodological transparency.

Brazilian ethnobotany

• ANVISA. Farmacopéia Brasileira, 8th edition. RDC No. 1,026, 15 May 2026, Volume II — Plantas Medicinais.
• ANVISA. Memento Fitoterápico da Farmacopéia Brasileira.
• Ministry of Health. Programa Nacional de Plantas Medicinais e Fitoterápicos (PNPMF).
• LORENZI, H.; MATOS, F. J. A. Plantas medicinais no Brasil: nativas e exóticas. Nova Odessa, SP: Instituto Plantarum.

Western phytotherapy

• ESCOP. European Scientific Cooperative on Phytotherapy Monographs.
• German Commission E. The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines.

Traditional Chinese Medicine

• BENSKY, D.; CLAVEY, S.; STÖGER, E.; GAMBLE, A. Chinese Herbal Medicine: Materia Medica.

Ayurvedic translation framework

• FRAWLEY, D.; LAD, V. The Yoga of Herbs: An Ayurvedic Guide to Herbal Medicine. Lotus Press.

Classical Ayurvedic materia medica (reference for documented plants)

• Caraka Saṃhitā.
• Sushruta Saṃhitā.
• Bhāvaprakāśa Nighantu.
• Aṣṭāṅga Hṛdaya.

How to report errors

Did you find an incoherent classification, an unfounded karma, a missing precaution or an outdated regulatory data point? Use the feedback button present on every herb page. Review is manual and adjustments are documented in the catalog's clinical history.

This content is informational and does not replace individualized clinical consultation with a qualified Ayurvedic therapist or health professional.