Controversy in the Botanical Identity of Ayurvedic Medicinal Plants: Factors, Challenges and the Need for Authentication

Author

Dr. Sushma, Dr. Varesh Parihar, Dr. Vikas Singh, Dr. Rajesh Sharma

Abstract

 Background: The botanical identity of several Ayurvedic medicinal plants remains controversial due to differences in nomenclature, manuscript transmission, regional variation, substitution, and interpretation of classical terminology. Such ambiguity may affect the authentication, standardization, safety, and reproducibility of Ayurvedic medicines. 

Objective: To review the major factors responsible for controversy in the botanical identity of Ayurvedic medicinal plants and highlight the need for systematic authentication. 

Materials and Methods: Classical and contemporary literature concerning Ayurvedic drug identity, controversial medicinal plants, pharmacognostical identification, phytochemical profiling, chromatographic fingerprinting, and molecular authentication was reviewed.

 Results: Major causes of controversy include multiple names for a single plant, a single name for multiple plants, regional and vernacular variations, manuscript errors, substitution, generic drug names, contextual interpretation, and changes in botanical classification. Examples such as Shankhpushpi, Brahmi, and Pashanabheda illustrate the complexity of Ayurvedic drug–botanical correlations. Pharmacognostical, chromatographic, phytochemical, and molecular techniques provide complementary approaches for reliable authentication. 

Conclusion: Botanical controversy in Ayurveda is a multidisciplinary issue with important implications for drug quality and research reproducibility. Integration of classical textual evidence with taxonomy, pharmacognosy, phytochemistry, and molecular authentication is essential for establishing reliable botanical identities.

Keywords

Ayurveda; Dravyaguna; botanical identity; controversial drugs; authentication; pharmacognosy; DNA barcoding.

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References

The controversy in the botanical identity of Ayurvedic medicinal plants is a complex phenomenon resulting from manuscript transmission, multiple synonyms, regional and vernacular nomenclature, geographical variation, substitution, contextual interpretation of classical terminology, generic drug names, and changes in modern botanical classification. The examples of Shankhpushpi, Brahmi, and Pashanabheda demonstrate that a single Ayurvedic drug name may be associated with multiple botanically distinct entities.

This problem has important contemporary implications because uncertain botanical identity can affect the authenticity, phytochemical composition, pharmacological reproducibility, safety, efficacy, and quality of Ayurvedic medicinal products. Therefore, botanical authentication should be considered a fundamental component of Ayurvedic drug standardization.

A multidisciplinary approach integrating classical textual evidence, ethnobotany, taxonomy, pharmacognosy, phytochemistry, chromatographic fingerprinting, and molecular authentication provides a more reliable framework for resolving controversial identities. Establishment of authenticated reference specimens, standardized pharmacognostical parameters, chemical fingerprints, and molecular reference databases can help bridge the gap between classical Ayurvedic nomenclature and modern botanical science.

Ultimately, systematic resolution of controversial medicinal plants will not only improve the quality and consistency of Ayurvedic raw materials but will also facilitate reproducible pharmacological and clinical research while preserving the rich historical and regional diversity of Ayurvedic botanical knowledge.

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