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Glossary of Ayurvedic Terms

This is a glossary of some commonly known Sanskrit terms used in Ayurveda. The commonest meanings have been included and have been defined in the simplest way possible. It may be noted that some of these words may have more than one meanings as is very common with Sanskrit words. Here the terms have been compiled so that they are helpful while referring to this site too.

	Everything that is heat in the body (temperature, sight, heat), the digestive fire, its function is transformation, absorption, elimination and discrimination. Agni is the essential form of fire and heat and is imperative to good digestion and metabolism.
Akasha	Free space, void, substratum of the property of sound, also referred to as ether in other sciences.
Ama	Raw, undigested food products, having become fetid, producing toxins in the system. It is formed due to malfunctioning of Agni. Ama is considered as the main cause of most diseases.
Anticoagulant	Ayurvedic herb examples: Sesame seed oil (4 parts), black mustard seed (1 part), mix together and apply to the affected area, massage in well.
Antiepileptic	Ayurvedic herb examples: Red purnarnava: 500mg (a laxative works well on the central nervous syst–take daily, after meals).
Anthelminthics	Destroy or expel parasitic worms from the digestive system. Ayurvedic herb examples: Haritaki, hingvastak, triphala. Western herb examples: Garlic, tansy, wormwood.
Antihydrotics	Herbs that decrease sweating. Examples: Astralgus.
Anti–inflammatory	Counteracts inflammation or its effects. Ayurvedic herbal examples: Aamalaki (aamla), haritaki, shatavari, triphala.
Antioxidant	Absorbs or attaches to oxygen free radicals. Free radicals are highly receptive compounds that attack cell membranes, enzymes, etc. Ayurvedic herb examples: Aamalaki, haritaki, triphala.

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