Herbal and Ayurvedic Therapies for Mental Health in Nepal: A Scoping Review with Contextual Insights from South and Southeast Asia

Mental health disorders are a leading cause of disability worldwide and represent a growing public health concern in Nepal. In 2019, approximately 3.9 million individuals in Nepal were estimated to be living with mental health conditions, with depression and anxiety being the most prevalent. Limited access to formal psychiatric services has led many individuals to rely on traditional medicine, particularly herbal and Ayurvedic therapies. Nepal possesses rich ethnobotanical diversity, with nearly 2,000 medicinal plant species in traditional use. Ayurvedic herbs such as Withania somnifera (ashwagandha), Bacopa monnieri (brahmi), Nardostachys jatamansi (jatamansi), and polyherbal formulations such as Saraswatarishta are commonly used for stress, insomnia, anxiety, and cognitive symptoms. However, the scientific evidence supporting these therapies has not been systematically mapped. Given the heterogeneity of available research—including clinical trials, ethnobotanical reports, and preclinical studies—a scoping review approach is appropriate to comprehensively map the extent, nature, and characteristics of available evidence.