Herbal Groups of Ayurveda

Herb Groups of Ayurveda

Ayurveda has a number of Herb groups. While the herbs in these groups are sometimes used together in a formula, they rather show a group of drugs with similar function. It is an easier way to remember the effects of a drug and also serves to show what may be a suitable substitute.

Groups of Two

Dwichandana – Two Sandalwoods	Kshara Dwayam – Two Alkalies
Santalum album (White Sandal) and Pterocarpus santalinus (Red Sandal)	Potassium carbonate and Sodium carbonate
Brihatee Dwayam – Two Nightshade	When Borax is added, it forms the Three Alkalies.
Solanum indicum and Solanum xanthocarpum	Saribadwayam – Two Sarsaparillas
Dwiparni – Two Grams	Hemidesmus indicus and Ichnocarpus frutescens
Herbs of Teramnus labiali and Phaseolus trilobus

Groups of Three

Trikatu – Three Pungents	Trimada
Long Pepper, Black Pepper, Ginger	Embelia ribes, Cyperus rotundus, Plumbago zeylanica
Indigestion, Poor Appetite	Trijata
Clears Phlegm; dissolves Fat, resists Obesity;	Cinnamon, Greater Cardamon, Cinnamonum tamala leaf
Gonorrhea;	Drying, heating; settles Wind and Phlegm
Leprosy and skin diseases in general; Tumors, Inflammations	Promote digestion, increases Bile
Triphala – Three Fruit	Improves Complexion, clears Foul Breath
Chebulic, Emblic and Belleric Myrobalans	-when Mesua ferrea is added it forms Chaturjata, and has similar benefits
Regulate Three Dosas (Phlegm, Bile and Wind); diseases where all Humors are involved.	Lavana Trayam – Three Salts
Gonorrhea;	Rock Salt, Sonchal Salt, Black Salt
Leprosy and skin diseases in general;	To these are added Sea Salt and Romaka Salt to make the Five Salts.
Intermittent Fever	Madhura Trayam – Three Sweet drugs
All diseases caused by Wind (Vata)	Ghee (clarified butter), Jaggery, Honey
Eye disorders
Digestive disturbance, Loss of Appetite

Larger Groups

Vringhaniya group – promotes nutrition, increase Fat	Kushthaghna – cures Skin diseases
Ascelpias rosea, Dregea volubilis, Sida cordifolia, Kakoli root, Khirakakoli root, Sida rhomboidea, Sida rhombifolia, Hibiscus vitifolius, Convolvulus paniculatus (white variety), Lettsomia nervosa	Acacia catechu, Chebulic Myrobalan, Emblic Myrobalan, Tumeric, Semecarpus anacardium, Echites scholaris bark, Cassia fistula, Nerium odorum, Embeila ribes, Jasminum grandiflorum leaf
Lekhaniya – thin the tissues, reduce Fat	Kandughna – cure Pruritus
Cyperus rotundus, Apoitaxis auriculata, Tumeric, Berberis asiatica, Calamus, Aconitum heterophyllum, Picrorhiza, Plumbago zeylanica root, Pongamia glabra, Calamus (white variety)	Red Sandalwood, Andropogon muricatum, Cassia fistula, Pongamia glabra, Melia azadirachta, Holarrhena antidysenterica, Mustard seeds, Licorice, Barberry bark, Cyperus rotundus
Bhedaniya group – promote Excretions	Krimighna – cure Worms
Turpeth, Calatropis gigantea, Castor seed, Semecarpus anarcardium, Croton root, Pongamia glabra, Pladera decussata, Picrorhiza, Cleome felina	Moringa pterygosperma, Madder, Costus speciosus, Embelia ribes, Vitex negundo, Cardiospermum halcacabum, Tribulus terrestris, Clerodendron siphonanthus, Salvinia cucullata
Sandhaniya group – Heals Fractures	Vishaghna – Antidotes to poison
Licorice, Tinospora cordifolia, Doodia laegopodioides, Cissampelos hernandifolia, Mimosa pudica, Bombax malabaricum exudate, Grislea tomentosa, Symplocos racemosa, Aglaia roxburghiana, Myrica sapida	Tumeric, Madder, Vanda roxburghii, Lesser Cardamon, Echites frutescens, Red Sandalwood, Strychnos potatorum, Mimosa sirissa, Vitex negundo, Echites scholaris
Dipaniya – promote Appetite	Stanyajanana – promote Milk
Long Pepper, Long Pepper root, Piper chaba, Plumbago zeylanica root, Ginger, Rumex vesicarius, Black Pepper, Ajowan, Semecarpus anacardium seed, Asafetida	Andropogon muricatum, Shashtika Rice, Cali Rice, Sugar, Tinospora cordifolia, Cymbopogon schoenanthus
Balya – increase Strength	Stanyacodhana – improve quality of Milk
Colocynth, Mucuna pruriens, Asparagus racemosus, Glycine debilis, Convolvulus paniculatus, Physalis flexuosa, Hedysarum gangeticum, Picrorhiza, Sida cordifolia, Sida rhombifolia	Cissampelos hernandi folia, Ginger, Pinus deodara, Cyperus rotundus, Sansevicra zeylanica, Tinospora cordifolia, Holarrhena antidysenterica, Swertia cherayta, Picrorhiza, Asclepias pseudosarsa
Varnya – improve Complexion	Cukrajanana – increase Semen
Red Sandalwood, Sappan wood, Padmakashta (wood), Andropogon muricatum root, Licorice, Madder, Asclepias pseudosarsa, Kakoli root, sugar, Date	Pueraria tuberosa, Fritillaria roylei, Lilium polyphyllum, Lipasis restrata, Microstylis wallichii, Phaseolus trilobus, Glycine debilis, Indian Spikenard, Rhus succedanum
Kanthya – improve Voice, cure Hoarseness	Cukracodhana – cure faults of the Semen
Asclepias pseudosarsa, Saccharum officinarum root, Licorice, Long Pepper, Raisin, Convolvulus panniculatus, Myrica sapida, Hydrocotyle asciatica, Solanum indicum, Solanum xanthocarpum	Aplotaxis auriculata, Myrica sapida, Nauclea cadamba gum, Sugar, Rubelia longifolia, Sesbania granduflora flowers, Andropogon muricatum
Hridya group – promote Cheerfulness	Snehopaga – emollients
Mangifera indica, Spondias pinnata, Artocarpus lakucha, Pongamia glabra, Oxalis cornuculata, Rumex vesicarius, Zizyphus oenoplia, Ziziphus jujuba, Punica granatum, Citrus acida	Raisins, Licorice, Tinospora cordifolia, Solomans Seal, Convolvulus paniculatus, Withania, Orchis, Caelogyne ovalis, Hedysarum gangeticum
Triptighna – clear Phlegm	Swedopaga – promote Perspiration
Ginger, Plumbago zeylanica, Piper chaba, Embelia ribes, Sanseviera zeylanica root, Tinospora cordifolia, Calamus, Cyperus rotundus, Long Pepper, Trichosanthes dioica	Moringa pterygosperma, Castor, Calotropis gigantea, Beoerhavia diffusa, Red Sandalwood, Barley, Sesame seeds, Dolichos biflorus, Phaseolus radiatus, Jujubes
Arcoghna group – cure Piles	Vamanopaga – emetics
Holarrhena antidysenterica, Aegle marmelos fruit, Ginger, Aconitum heterophyllum, Chebulic Myrobalan, Hedysarum alhagi, Barberry, Calamus, Piper chaba	Honey, Licorice, Bauhinia acuminata (red and white varieties), Nauclea cadamba, Momordica monodelpha, Crotalaria verrucosa, Calatropis, Achyranthes aspera
	Virechanopaga – purgatives
	Raisins, Gmelina arborea fruit, Grewia asciatica, Chebulic Myrobalan, Emblic Myrobalan, Belleric Myrobalan, Jujube, Salvadora persica fruit

Five Plants (Pancha Mula) and Ten Plants (Dasa Mula)
Decoction of Ten Plants (Dasa Mula Kvatha), is a compound decoction often mentioned in Ayurveda.
The ten plants are Desinodium gangeticum, Uraria lagopodioides, Solanum jacquini, Solanum Indicum, Tribulus terrestris, Aegle marmelos, Calosathes Indica, Gmelina arborea, Stereospermum suaveolens, and Premna spinosa.
The first Five of these are called Hrasva Pancha Mula, or the Five Minor Plants,
Desinodium gangeticum, Uraria lagopodioides, Solanum jacquini, Solanum Indicum, Tribulus terrestris
The last Five, Vrihat Pancha Mula, or the Five Major Plants:
Aegle marmelos, Calosathes Indica, Gmelina arborea, Stereospermum suaveolens, and Premna spinosa.