Ayurvedic Medicinal Herbs
10 Common Medicinal Plants with Doṣa Effects
Tulsi (Holy Basil)
Ocimum tenuiflorum
Key actions: Adaptogenic, anti-stress, supports immunity & lungs
Simple uses: Tulsi tea for cough, cold, mild fever and sore throat. Fresh leaves chewed for bad breath.
Doṣa effects:
Vāta: ↑ if overused (drying, light, stimulating)
Pitta: ↑ slightly in excess (heating)
Kapha: ↓↓ (excellent for kapha)
Aśvagandhā (Ashwagandha)
Withania somnifera
Key actions: Rasāyana (rejuvenative), nervine tonic, supports strength & sleep
Simple uses: Powder with warm milk at night for stress, fatigue and sleep support. General tonic in convalescence.
Doṣa effects:
Vāta: ↓↓ (one of the best vātahara rasāyanas)
Pitta: Mild ↑ in very hot conditions
Kapha: ↓ or ↔
Key actions: Rich in vitamin C, rasāyana, supports digestion & eyes
Simple uses: Amla candy or powder for acidity and gentle bowel regulation. Ingredients in triphalā.
Doṣa effects:
Vāta: ↓ (snigdha + sour–sweet)
Pitta: ↓↓ (best pittahara fruit)
Kapha: ↔ / slight ↑ in heavy forms
Āmalakī (Indian Gooseberry / Amla)
Phyllanthus emblica
Nimba (Neem)
Azadirachta indica
Key actions: Antimicrobial, blood-purifier, skin-supportive
Simple uses: Leaf paste for minor skin eruptions (pimples, itching). Water boiled with neem leaves for washing skin/scalp.
Doṣa effects:
Vāta: ↑↑ (very rukṣa, tikta, kaṣāya)
Pitta: ↓ (good for heat, skin, rakta)
Kapha: ↓ (scrapes, dries, reduces kapha)
Haridrā (Turmeric)
Curcuma longa
Key actions: Anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, supports liver & skin
Simple uses: Turmeric in cooking for daily anti-inflammatory support. "Golden milk" for cough, joint pains, immunity.
Doṣa effects:
Vāta: ↓ or ↔ (warm; helps with ghee/oil)
Pitta: ↔ / slight ↑ in high doses
Kapha: ↓ (cuts āma, kapha, meda)
Śuṇṭhī / Ārdraka (Ginger)
Zingiber officinale
Key actions: Dīpana–pācana (kindles agni), anti-nausea, carminative
Simple uses: Ginger tea for cold, indigestion, nausea, travel sickness. Small slice with salt before meals
Doṣa effects:
Vāta: ↓ (especially with ghee/warm water)
Pitta: ↑ (uṣṇa vīrya — aggravates in excess)
Kapha: ↓↓ (classical kaphahara)
Key actions: Improves bioavailability of other herbs, clears kapha, carminative
Simple uses: Added to food to reduce gas. With honey (small amounts) for cough and cold.
Doṣa effects:
Vāta: ↑ if overused (very tīkṣṇa, drying)
Pitta: ↑↑ (strongly heating and pungent)
Kapha: ↓↓ (excellent for kapha, āma)
Marica (Black Pepper)
Piper nigrum
Jīraka (Cumin)
Cuminum cyminum
Key actions: Carminative, agni dīpana, supports breast-milk in some traditions
Simple uses: Cumin seed tea for gas, bloating. Roasted and powdered over buttermilk for digestion.
Doṣa effects:
Vāta: ↓ (relieves gas, supports digestion)
Pitta: ↔ / slight ↑ if very high dose
Kapha: ↓ (reduces post-meal heaviness)
Dhānyaka (Coriander)
Coriandrum sativum
Key actions: Cooling, mild diuretic, pitta-pacifying
Simple uses: Coriander seed water (soaked/boiled) for burning urination and heat. Fresh leaves in food.
Doṣa effects:
Vāta: ↔ (generally safe, mild)
Pitta: ↓↓ (very good for pitta heat)
Kapha: ↓ / ↔ (light, mildly reducing)
Methi / Methikā (Fenugreek)
Trigonella foenum-graecum
Key actions: Supports blood sugar balance, digestion, and lactation
Simple uses: Soaked seeds in the morning for diabetes support (with medical supervision). As a spice in curries
Doṣa effects:
Vāta: ↑ (tīkṣṇa, rukṣa; better with oil/ghṛta)
Pitta: ↑ (heating, bitter + pungent)
Kapha: ↓↓ (useful in kapha patterns)