Old knowledge, carefully kept.
Where Ayurveda comes from, who checks our work, and what modern research does and does not yet show.
Fifteen centuries in five eras
Broad, overlapping periods marking how the knowledge was kept, taught and regulated.
Materia medica
Nighantus catalogues · Rasashastra traditions · Powders, decoctions, oils, pastes
Some mineral and metal preparations can carry hazardous amounts of lead, mercury or arsenic.
Lineage and region
Practitioner lineages · Manuscripts and printed books · Local dispensaries · Household remedies
Practice and materials differed by region and by lineage.
Institutions
College curricula · Hospitals · Pharmacopoeial work · Regulated manufacturing
Standardisation does not automatically establish clinical effectiveness.
Research infrastructure
Medicinal-plant programmes · Research databases · Department of AYUSH, 2003
Findings differ by treatment and by study quality.
Contemporary standards
Ministry of AYUSH, 2014 · WHO benchmarks, 2022 · International terminology, 2023 · Pharmacovigilance
Clinical decisions should consider evidence, contraindications, interactions and patient safety.
Who reviews our work
Named profiles will be published as the advisory board is confirmed.
Ayurvedic physicians
Review every protocol, therapy description and seasonal guide for classical accuracy and safety.
Clinical pharmacologists
Check herb-drug interactions and contraindications before anything is published.
Research scientists
Grade each claim by evidence tier and keep source links current.
Prakriti in the genome
Five molecular correlates studied so far. Promising, but still early.
CYP2C19
A liver enzyme that clears roughly a tenth of common prescription drugs. In a 132‑person genotyping study, 91% of Pitta‑Prakriti individuals carried fast‑metabolizer genotypes, while poor‑metabolizer genotypes were 2.5–3.4× more frequent in Kapha, lining up with the classical claim that Pitta runs a "fast" metabolism and Kapha a "slow" one.
PGM1
A gene sitting at the crossroads of five energy‑metabolism pathways: glycolysis, gluconeogenesis, galactose and starch/sucrose metabolism. In a genome‑wide scan this variant tracked specifically with Pitta, the type classical texts describe as having the sharpest digestive fire (Agni) and fastest energy turnover.
EGLN1
An oxygen-sensing gene that controls how the body responds to low‑oxygen environments. The high‑expression variant was more common in Kapha types and tracked with high‑altitude pulmonary edema risk, while Pitta types, and populations native to high altitude, carried it far less often.
CD25 / CD56
Flow‑cytometry markers for activated B‑cells (CD25) and natural killer cells (CD56). Kapha‑Prakriti individuals showed significantly elevated levels of both, a candidate molecular basis for the classical description of Kapha as the most immunologically resilient constitution.
0 Prakriti-stratified human RCTs published to date. Associations above do not yet prove that matching treatment to Prakriti improves outcomes.
Common questions
Is the Prakriti quiz a diagnosis?
No. It is an educational demo based on published questionnaires. A full assessment needs a qualified practitioner.
Can I take herbs with my prescriptions?
Not without checking first. Piperine, for example, changes how many drugs are absorbed. Speak to your doctor or a BAMS practitioner.
How strong is the evidence for Prakriti?
Early. Some genetic associations exist, but 0 Prakriti-stratified human RCTs have been published to date.
Do you sell mineral or metal preparations?
No. Some have been found to contain hazardous levels of lead, mercury or arsenic.
Is Panchakarma safe to do at home?
No. It should only be done under qualified medical supervision.