The Role of Ayurveda in Chronic Disease Management: A Review of Clinical Evidence

Chronic non-communicable diseases account for the majority of global mortality and contribute substantially to long-term disability and healthcare expenditure worldwide, necessitating sustained, multidimensional management strategies beyond symptomatic control. Ayurveda, a traditional system of medicine based on holistic and individualized care, has gained increasing attention as a complementary approach for chronic disease management. This review synthesizes clinical evidence published between 2015 and 2025 to evaluate the role of Ayurvedic interventions across major chronic disease categories, including metabolic, cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, respiratory, gastrointestinal, and neurological disorders. A comprehensive literature search of major electronic databases identified randomized controlled trials, controlled clinical studies, and observational research assessing therapeutic outcomes, safety, and methodological quality. The reviewed studies demonstrate consistent trends toward improvement in symptom severity, functional outcomes, biochemical and inflammatory markers, and patient-reported quality of life, particularly when Ayurvedic therapies are used alongside conventional medical care. Interventions based on Ayurvedic principles, such as metabolic regulation, lifestyle modification, Panchakarma (bio-purification procedures), and Rasayana (rejuvenative therapy), appear to exert anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, immunomodulatory, and adaptogenic effects relevant to chronic disease pathophysiology. The evidence base is constrained by methodological heterogeneity, small sample sizes, variable intervention protocols, and limited long-term safety data. While current findings support the integrative potential of Ayurveda in chronic disease management, further rigorously designed, large-scale clinical trials with standardized methodologies are required to strengthen evidence and support its rational incorporation into contemporary healthcare systems.