The Efficacy of Ayurvedic Herbs in the Prevention and Treatment of Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Scoping Review.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic inflammatory condition of the gastrointestinal tract with no known cure in Western medicine. While steroids and other anti-inflammatory treatments help manage symptoms, Ayurvedic herbs and spices offer a holistic approach rooted in Ayurveda, an ancient Indian medical system that aims to balance life's forces (doshas) within the mind, body, and soul. Although certain Ayurvedic herbs have demonstrated anti-inflammatory properties, a comprehensive review of their efficacy in IBD treatment remains limited. This study evaluates the effectiveness of Ayurvedic herbal extracts and formulations in the treatment and prevention of IBD through a review of literature from January 2003 to September 2023 across Embase, PubMed, and Cochrane Central. A total of 25 full-text articles were analyzed, with data compiled based on study characteristics and relevance to the research question. Findings indicate macroscopic, microscopic, and clinically significant benefits, including reduced mucus in stool, improved colonic weight retention, and decreased inflammatory markers such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-2 (IL-2), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), and endothelium-dependent relaxation (EDR). Clinically, patients reported fewer urgent bowel movements and an improved sense of well-being. These results suggest that Ayurvedic herbs may serve as a complementary or alternative therapy for IBD, warranting further well-designed clinical trials to fully assess their therapeutic potential.