Intemed: International Journal of Research in Integrated Medical Sciences (IJ-RIMS) Open Access | Peer-Reviewed | Integrated Medical Sciences
International Journal
  • ISSN: 3139-0935(Online)
  • Email: shriramragad1992@gmail.com
  • Contact: +91 7387468519
  • Publisher: Shri Dhanvantari International Publication
Open Access, Peer-Reviewed Journal for Research in Integrated Medical Sciences.
Raheri Bk, Sindkhed Raja, Buldhana | Maharashtra, India

Article Details

  1. Home
  2. Articles
Back to articles

A Comprehensive Review on Recent Trends in Ayurveda Nutraceuticals: From Multi-Target Pharmacology to Personalised Precision Nutrition

Abstract

Background: Healthcare is rapidly shifting toward disease prevention, driving a booming nutraceutical market that is redefining global wellness. At the forefront of this movement, ancient Ayurvedic traditions are merging with modern science, treating food as medicine to maintain bodily balance. While traditional herbal formulas have long struggled with low bioavailability and poor absorption, recent breakthroughs in drug delivery systems and computational biology are finally bridging that gap. This review explores how a decade of multidisciplinary research has successfully transformed traditional remedies into standardized, globally recognized therapeutics. Materials and methods: This study synthesises peer-reviewed literature from 2015 to 2026 across major databases to find out this changing landscape. Result: Bibliometric and thematic analyses reveal that current research evolves around four core pillars, such as phytochemical standardisation, advanced delivery systems, multi-target pharmacology and clinical validation. Despite this progress, the sector faces significant hurdles, including heavy metal contamination, microbial adulteration, inconsistent raw material quality, and fragmented global regulations across the FDA, EFSA, and FSSAI. Looking forward, the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning offers a promising frontier for optimising polyherbal synergies and predicting drug-nutraceutical interactions. Conclusion: This review demonstrates that a decade of scientific studies has successfully transformed Ayurvedic nutraceuticals into a standardised, evidence-based opportunity for global integrative medicine.

Keywords
Ayurvedic nutraceuticalsphytochemical standardisationadvanced delivery systemsmulti-target pharmacologyclinical validationand regulatory harmonisation.
References
Merino L, Teijeiro M, Castagnini JM, Sebastià A, Martí-Quijal FJ, Bucci P. Valorization of Food Industry By-Products for Sustainable Functional Food Production: Recent Advances and Future Perspectives. Foods. 2026; 15(12):2116. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods15122116 Payyappallimana U, Venkatasubramanian P. Exploring Ayurvedic knowledge on food and health for providing innovative solutions to contemporary healthcare. Front Public Health. 2016;4:57. doi:10.3389/fpubh.2016.00057 Kaushik R, Upadhyaya K, Sharma P. A comprehensive review of Ayurveda Aahar: Regulations, challenges, and future prospects. Journal of Drug Research in Ayurvedic Sciences. 2025;10:181-188. doi:10.4103/jdras.jdras_404_24. Charaka Samhita. Sutrasthana, Chapter 27: Annapanavidhi Adhyaya. Sharma PV, translator. Varanasi: Chaukhambha Orientalia; 2020. Sushruta Samhita. Sutrasthana, Chapter 46: Annapanavidhi. Bhishagratna K, translator. Varanasi: Chowkhamba Sanskrit Series Office; 2022. Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS). National AYUSH Morbidity and Standardized Terminologies Electronic Portal (NAMASTE). New Delhi: Ministry of Ayush, Government of India [cited 2026 Oct 9]. Available from: http://namstp.ayush.gov.in/#/index DeFelice SL. The nutraceutical revolution: its impact on food industry R&D. Trends Food Sci Technol. 1995;6(2):59-61. Bonifácio BV, Silva PB, Ramos MA, Negri KM, Bauab TM, Chorilli M. Nanotechnology-based drug delivery systems and herbal medicines: a review. Int J Nanomedicine. 2014;9:1-15. doi: 10.2147/IJN.S52634. Epub 2013 Dec 9. PMID: 24363556; PMCID: PMC3862741. Puri V, Nagpal M, Singh I, Singh M, Dhingra GA, Huanbutta K, et al. A comprehensive review on nutraceuticals: therapy support and formulation challenges. Nutrients. 2022;14(21):4637. Wang H, Chen Y, Wang L, Liu Q, Yang S, Wang C. Advancing herbal medicine: enhancing product quality and safety through robust quality control practices. Frontiers in Pharmacology. 2023;14:1265178. doi:10.3389/fphar.2023.1265178. Cited by: 635 Shinde S, Balasubramaniam AK, Mulay V, Saste G, Girme A, Hingorani L. Recent advancements in extraction techniques of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) with insights on phytochemicals, structural significance, pharmacology, and current trends in food applications. ACS Omega. 2023;8(44):40982-41003. doi:10.1021/acsomega.3c03491. Lee YS, Oh SM, Li QQ, Kim KW, Yoon D, Lee MH, et al. Validation of a Quantification Method for Curcumin Derivatives and Their Hepatoprotective Effects on Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease. Current Issues in Molecular Biology. 2022;44(1):409–432. doi:10.3390/cimb44010029. Kalagatur NK, Mudili V, Siddaiah C, Gupta VK, Natarajan G, Sreepathi MH, et al. Antagonistic activity of Ocimum sanctum L. essential oil on growth and zearalenone production by Fusarium graminearum in maize grains. Frontiers in Microbiology. 2015;6:892. doi:10.3389/fmicb.2015.00892. Amin H, Chayal VM. DNA barcoding for Ayurveda plants: An insistent requirement for the discipline. J Ayurvedic Herb Med. 2025; 11(1): 3-6. doi:10.4103/JAHM.JAHM_2_24. Aatif M. Current Understanding of Polyphenols to Enhance Bioavailability for Better Therapies. Biomedicines. 2023 Jul 24;11(7):2078. doi: 10.3390/biomedicines11072078. PMID: 37509717; PMCID: PMC10377558. Dewi MK, Chaerunisaa AY, Muhaimin M, Joni IM. Improved Activity of Herbal Medicines through Nanotechnology. Nanomaterials. 2022; 12(22):4073. https://doi.org/10.3390/nano12224073 Lu M, Qiu Q, Luo X, Liu X, Sun J, Wang C, et al. Phyto-phospholipid complexes (phytosomes): A novel strategy to improve the bioavailability of active constituents. Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences. 2019;14(3):265-274. doi:10.1016/j.ajps.2018.05.011. Singh M, Puri V. Biocompatible lipid-bound delivery platforms (Phytosomes) for improving systemic plasma concentrations of curcumin. Pharmaceutics. 2021;13(9):1432. Dwivedi S, Aggarwal A. Nano-emulsions as modern carriers for hydrophobic Ayurvedic bioactives: A stability study. AAPS PharmSciTech. 2021;22(4):145. Mahapatra A, Shivakumar H. Formulation optimization of self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery systems (SNEDDS) containing Zingiber officinale oleoresins. J Mol Liq. 2019;275:450-461. Srinivasan K. Biological activities and health-promoting potential of traditional spice oleoresins in functional foods. J Funct Foods. 2018;45:312-324. Dandekar P, Jain R. Solid lipid nanoparticles for systemic delivery of lipophilic Ayurvedic active principles. Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces. 2020;189:110-119. Ashfaq R, Rasul A, Asghar S, Kovács A, Berkó S, Budai-Szűcs M. Lipid Nanoparticles: An Effective Tool to Improve the Bioavailability of Nutraceuticals. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2023;24(21):15764. doi:10.3390/ijms242115764. Abdel-Wahhab KG, Mourad HH, Mannaa FA, Morsy FA, Hassan LK, Taher RF. Role of ashwagandha methanolic extract in the regulation of thyroid profile in hypothyroidism modeled rats. Mol Biol Rep. 2019 Aug;46(4):3637-3649. doi: 10.1007/s11033-019-04721-x. Epub 2019 Jun 15. PMID: 31203475. Detsi A, Kavetsou E, Kostopoulou I, Pitterou I, Pontillo ARN, Tzani A, Christodoulou P, Siliachli A, Zoumpoulakis P. Nanosystems for the Encapsulation of Natural Products: The Case of Chitosan Biopolymer as a Matrix. Pharmaceutics. 2020 Jul 16;12(7):669. doi: 10.3390/pharmaceutics12070669. PMID: 32708823; PMCID: PMC7407519. Hussain SA, Hameed A, Nazir Y, Naz T, Wu Y, Suleria HAR, et al. Microencapsulation and the Characterization of Polyherbal Formulation (PHF) Rich in Natural Polyphenolic Compounds. Nutrients. 2018;10(7):843. doi:10.3390/nu10070843. Patel P, Garala K, Singh S, Prajapati BG, Chittasupho C. Lipid-Based Nanoparticles in Delivering Bioactive Compounds for Improving Therapeutic Efficacy. Pharmaceuticals. 2024;17(3):329. doi:10.3390/ph17030329. Singhal A, Sharma V. Reverse Pharmacology in Ayurveda: Scope and Success Stories in Dravyaguna Research. Indian Journal of Health Sciences and Biomedical Research KLEU. 2025;18(3):256-263. Vaidya ADB. Reverse pharmacology: A therapeutic path from traditional clinical insights to modern standardized molecular entities. J Ayurveda Integr Med. 2015;6(1):1-4. Thatte U, Rege NN. Reverse pharmacology: An alternative paradigm for safe and fast track evidence-based drug development from traditional medicine. Indian J Pharmacol. 2016;48(Suppl 1):S5-S11. Noor F, Tahir ul Qamar M, Ashfaq UA, Albutti A, Alwashmi ASS, Aljasir MA. Network pharmacology approach for medicinal plants: Review and assessment. Pharmaceuticals. 2022;15(5):572. Sharma R, Amin H. Quality control and standardization profiles of Triphala churna: A comparative laboratory evaluation. Int J Res Ayurveda Pharm. 2015;6(2):201-207. riya MDL, Ramya S, Ramalingam S. Integrative network pharmacology, molecular docking, and in-vitro analysis of the antidiabetic potential of diosmin. J Ayurveda Holist Med. 2026;14(1):2498. Rastogi S, Kunwar R. Efficacy of Ayurvedic dietary supplements in modulating the human gut microbiome: A randomized controlled pilot study. Gut Microbes. 2023;15(1):214-227. Yuan W, Aggarwal BB. Multi-targeted therapeutic mechanisms of traditional dietary polyphenols in managing chronic systemic vascular inflammation. Int Immunopharmacol. 2020;82:106-117. Wadhwa R, Kaul SC. Science of Ashwagandha: Adaptogens as Modern Modifiers of Cellular Pathways and Active Functional Food Bases. Springer Nature; 2021. Salve J, Pate S, Debnath K, Langade D. Adaptogenic and anxiolytic effects of Ashwagandha root extract in healthy adults: A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical study. Cureus. 2019;11(12):e6466. doi:10.7759/cureus.6466. Mishra LC, Singh BB. Scientific basis for the therapeutic use of Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha): A review. Altern Med Rev. 2015;20(2):120-131. Ganie SA, Yadav E. Mechanistic pathways of Bacopa monnieri in neuroprotection and cognitive enhancement: A ten-year review data loop. Phytother Res. 2023;37(6):2411-2429. Verma S, Katyal A. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) upregulation by bacosides: In-vivo mechanics of traditional memory foods. Neurochem Int. 2023;164:105-117. Parhofer KG. Nutraceuticals in the management of atherogenic dyslipidemia and metabolic syndrome. Curr Cardiol Rep. 2024;26(4):189-198. Kar A, Panda S. Restoration of metabolic homeostasis by Gymnema sylvestre nutraceutical tablets: An RCT. Phytomedicine. 2017;36:200-208. Roy A, Sahu B. Pharmacological strategies to modulate cellular energy balance and reverse hepatic steatosis using Ayurvedic natural products. RSC Med Chem. 2023;14(8):1446-1459. Murthy MR, Ranjan R. Clinical efficacy of Commiphora mukul (Guggulu) in hyperlipidemia: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Complement Ther Med. 2020;52:102-111. Dwivedi S, Shrivastava A. Cardioprotective potential of Terminalia arjuna as a functional dietary supplement: A clinical review. Int J Cardiol. 2018;250:23-30. Gupta P, Srivastava S. Phytochemical screening and antioxidant activity of Phyllanthus emblica functional juices. J Herb Med. 2020;22:100-109. Gautam S, Platel K. Bioaccessibility of selenium and zinc from traditional Ayurvedic food preparations. J Food Sci Technol. 2016;53(8):3201-3209. Platel K, Srinivasan K. Bioavailability of micronutrients from plant foods: Influence of traditional Ayurvedic processing techniques. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2016;56(10):1608-1619. Messier H. Effectiveness and safety of an ayurvedic nutraceutical for improving clinical parameters of liver function in participants with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease: A randomized, placebo-controlled, preliminary phase 2 exploratory clinical trial. Front Nutr. 2026;13:1761666. Baghel MS, Gupta S. Clinical evaluation of Rasayana therapy as an adjuvant in the management of post-chemotherapy cachexia. J Cancer Res Ther. 2016;12(3):1114-1120. Acharya S, Mishra R. Formulation development of functional Ayurvedic herbal cookies for pediatric malnutrition. J Food Sci. 2017;82(4):952-960. Sharma H, Chandola HM. Evaluation of the antioxidant efficacy of Amrit Kalash as a premium Ayurvedic protective functional food. J Clin Biochem Nutr. 2015;56(2):110-116. Leo M, D’Angeli F, Genovese C, Spila A, Miele C, Ramadan D, et al. Oral health and nutraceutical agents. Int J Mol Sci. 2024;25(17):9733. Mitra S, Anand U. Heavy metals, pesticides, and microbial contaminants in Ayurvedic herbs: A persistent global safety threat. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2022;29(15):21345-21360. Devkar ST, Jagtap SD. Quality control parameters and heavy metal analysis of major commercial Ayurvedic dietary supplements in India. Toxicol Rep. 2017;4:412-418. Patni K, Saini K, Kumar P, Pandey N, Garg N. Evaluation of toxic heavy metal content in marketed Ayurvedic decoctions using closed vessel microwave digestion in ICPMS. Indian J Tradit Knowl. 2024;23(8):739-746. doi:10.56042/ijtk.v23i8.13114 Jităreanu A, Trifan A, Vieriu M, Caba IC, Mârțu I, Agoroaei L. Current trends in toxicity assessment of herbal medicines: A narrative review. Processes. 2022;11(1):83. Tiwari S, Talreja S. Evaluation of pesticide residues and mycotoxin contamination in retail Ayurvedic dietary supplements. J Food Saf. 2020;40(4):e12810. Kulkarni A, Khan S. Microbial decontamination of raw Ayurvedic herbs using gamma irradiation without chemical alteration. Radiat Phys Chem. 2018;148:55-62. Kalra R, Dhillon G. Regulatory challenges facing Ayurvedic food supplements under EU THMPD directive guidelines. Food Policy. 2019;87:101-112. Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). Food Safety and Standards (Nutraceuticals, Supplements, Functional Foods, Dietary Foods, and Food for Special Medical Purpose) Regulations. Gazette of India; 2022. Upadhyay A, Chatrath S. The regulatory landscape of functional foods and dietary supplements in India: Overcoming market registration hurdles. Food Drug Law J. 2018;73(2):241-255. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994. Public Law 103-417; 1994. Heinrich M. Quality and safety of herbal medical products: regulation and the need for quality assurance along the value chains. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2015;80(1):62-66. doi:10.1111/bcp.12586 Joshi S, Dash R. AI-driven network pharmacology: Optimising synergistic herbal ratios in traditional formulations. Brief Bioinform. 2024; 25(2): bbae104. doi:10.1093/bib/bbae104 Vasant O, Dash R. AI-driven personalised Ayurvedic nutrition systems: Merging genetic variations with the three Doshas. Nutrient Systems. 2025;17(2):112-126. Shukla Y, Pal SK. Epigenetic modifications induced by dietary phytochemicals found in traditional Ayurvedic functional foods. J Funct Foods. 2020;64:103-115. Nair VK, Raman R. Aligning Ayurvedic Rasayana research frameworks with UN Sustainable Development Goals for health and wellbeing. Lancet Glob Health. 2024;12(5):e744-e745.