Harita Samhita’s approach to Monotherapeutics: A comprehensive review

Knowledge about life and its maintenance is mentioned in various treatises of Ayurveda, such as Samhita, Nighantu, and Chikitsa grantha . Among them, Harita Samhita (10–12 AD) is recognized as an important compendium of Ashtangayurveda (~eight branches of Ayurveda). At present, a comprehensive information about the Ekala dravya (~single drug usage) of Harita Samhita is unavailable. In the current context, challenges such as nonavailability of reliable, standardized drugs or compound formulations, high cost, sustainability issues, ambiguity in drug identity, and safety concerns underscore the need to re-emphasize single-drug formulations documented in classical literature. The present study comprehensively reviews and compiles all the single drugs of herbal, animal, mineral, and other origins mentioned in the Harita Samhita. For this, the available two printed books edited by two different authors were reviewed critically with regard to use of single drugs in various clinical conditions. The drugs are arranged alphabetically with their Sanskrit names, parts used, dosage form, Anupana (~adjuvant), indications, mode of administration, reference, etc. The botanical name, English name of the drugs, and English equivalent of Ayurveda terms were collected from the NAMASTE portal. The review identified 114 single drugs, among them 87 are of herbal origin, 14 of animal origin, 5 metal-mineral, and 8 others, that are prescribed in 54 disease conditions. Maximum references are found in Jwara (~fever) and Raktapitta (~bleeding disorders). The majority of drugs are easily available, noncontroversial, cost-effective, and safe warranting further scientific integration into clinical practice.