Ayurvedic pharmacological texts - nihantu - describe the properties of medicinal plants and products that were known in India at the time of writing these books. But how can one determine the Ayurvedic properties of plants used in Western herbal medicine? How can we define ayurvedic properties of products used in European cuisine that became widespread later and are not described in classical texts?
Various methods are used to understand a plant by Ayurveda Scholars.
One important way to infer the Drug use is adopting a Similarity theory of Plant parts with body constituents.
What ever the things existing in the universe is represented in each and every body in its minute form as told by Charakacharya (Purushoyam Lokasamhitam).
Utilizing this concept will help to identify certain factors responsible in plants for a particular activity and is termed as Lokapurusha samanya vada (Doctrine of Signature) in this section illustrating this concept with suitable examples and it may help to start a new path way for new drug Discoveries.
