NARDOSTACHYS JATAMANSI (JATAMANSI): BRIDGING AYURVEDIC CONCEPTS AND CONTEMPORARY NEUROPHARMACOLOGY — A NARRATIVE REVIEW

Abstract

Jatamansi (Nardostachys jatamansi) is an established and traditional medicinal plant, used in various neuropsychiatric disorders and several other diseases. The drug is very well described in the Ayurvedic system of traditional Indian medicinal practice. It is said to possess Medhya (cognitive-enhancing), manasika shamaka (mind-calming) and Hridya (cardiotonic) actions. A large number of reports are available that describe its sedative, anxiolytic, antidepressant, antioxidant, anticonvulsant and neuroprotective actions, proving several claims made in traditional Ayurvedic literature. The present review aims to explain the properties of Jatamansi. that are explained in classical Ayurvedic texts and deals with the phytochemical constituents and pharmacological actions of Jatamansi. The literature search was carried out using databases such as PubMed, PMC, ScienceDirect and AYU journals, and from classical texts up to July 2025. The drug Jatamansi contains sesquiterpenes and is mainly attributed to jatamansone and nardostachone, which are responsible for CNS activity of the plant. Several experimental studies, as well as a few human clinical trials, have been conducted to establish the potential of the drug to treat several diseases, including those related to insomnia, anxiety, depression and neurodegenerative diseases. However, the studies conducted so far have some limitations, such as lack of standardization, unoptimized doses, and compromised quality of clinical trials. Thus, the review highlights the need for an integrated approach to carry out research on Jatamansi, using the knowledge of the plant as explained in the classical texts of Ayurveda, along with the principles of evidence-based pharmacology to establish the drug’s therapeutic potential and safety.