Walk into any Indian pharmacy and you will see three kinds of traditional product side by side: Ayurvedic, Unani and homeopathic. They are often grouped together, but they come from very different places and work on different ideas. Here is a simple guide to telling them apart.
Ayurveda
Ayurveda is India’s oldest system of traditional health care, with roots going back more than two thousand years. It sees health as a balance between three “doshas” (Vata, Pitta and Kapha) and uses herbs, diet, daily routine and lifestyle to restore that balance.
Ayurvedic products come in many forms. The names you will see most often are:
- Vati / gutika: tablets or pills
- Churna: fine herbal powders, such as triphala churna
- Arishta and asava: fermented liquid tonics, which contain a small amount of naturally produced alcohol
- Taila / tailam: medicated oils, usually for external use
- Kashayam / kwath: herbal decoctions, now often sold as convenient tablets
- Ghrita: herbs prepared in clarified butter (ghee)
Unani
Unani medicine began in ancient Greece with the teachings of Hippocrates and Galen. It was developed further by Persian and Arab physicians such as Ibn Sina (Avicenna), and reached India in the medieval period, where it is still widely practised today.
Unani is based on the balance of four humours: blood, phlegm, yellow bile and black bile. Its products are typically herbal and may include honey, sugar syrups and other natural ingredients. Common forms include majun (a semi-solid paste), khamira, sharbat (syrup) and itrifal.
Homeopathy
Homeopathy is much younger. It was founded by the German physician Samuel Hahnemann at the end of the 18th century and later became very popular in India. It is built on the idea of “like cures like” and uses substances diluted many times over.
On homeopathic labels you will see:
- Mother tincture (Q): the original, undiluted plant extract
- Dilutions: written as numbers such as 6C, 30C or 200C, showing how many times the substance has been diluted
- Combination drops: numbered formulas from a single maker, for example B-series or numbered drops
- Biochemic tissue salts: small tablets based on mineral salts
At a glance
| Ayurveda | Unani | Homeopathy | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Origin | Ancient India | Ancient Greece, developed in Persia and the Arab world | Germany, late 1700s |
| Core idea | Balance of three doshas | Balance of four humours | “Like cures like” using diluted substances |
| Typical forms | Tablets, churnas, arishtas, oils | Majun, khamira, syrups, tablets | Mother tinctures, dilutions, drops |
| Regulated in India by | Ministry of AYUSH | Ministry of AYUSH | Ministry of AYUSH |
What about the science?
All three systems are recognised and regulated in India. Outside India they are treated differently from country to country, and the scientific evidence behind them varies and is still debated. That is why we describe products by how they are traditionally used, never as cures, and why it is always worth speaking to your doctor before starting something new.
Which should you choose?
Many people simply stay with the system their family has always used. If you are new to all three, start by reading the product label carefully (see our guide How to Read an Ayurvedic Product Label) and ask a qualified practitioner for advice.
You can browse by system here: Ayurveda, Unani and Homeopathy.
This guide is general information, not medical advice. Speak with your doctor before using any herbal or traditional product, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medicines or buying for a child.