EVALUATING THE EFFICACY OF AYURVEDIC RASAYANA BOTANICALS ON CELLULAR INTEGRITY DURING VIRAL THREATS: A REVIEW

Abstract

Viral infections can disrupt cellular integrity through oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, inflammatory signaling, immune dysregulation, membrane injury, and altered cell-death pathways. Ayurvedic Rasayana botanicals are traditionally used to promote vitality, tissue nourishment, and disease resistance and are increasingly being investigated for their cytoprotective and immunomodulatory properties. This narrative review evaluates the potential of major Ayurvedic Rasayana botanicals to preserve cellular integrity during viral threats and examines the mechanisms that may contribute to their antiviral and host-protective effects. Botanicals such as Withania somnifera, Tinospora cordifolia, Phyllanthus emblica, Ocimum tenuiflorum, Glycyrrhiza glabra, Curcuma longa, and Asparagus racemosus contain diverse phytochemicals with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and cytoprotective activities. Their proposed mechanisms include modulation of Nrf2/ARE, NF-κB, MAPK, PI3K/Akt, JAK/STAT, cytokine signaling, endogenous antioxidant systems, mitochondrial function, apoptosis, and autophagy. Some phytochemicals may also interfere with viral entry, replication, or viral proteins. However, much of the available evidence remains preclinical, computational, or derived from small clinical studies. Rasayana botanicals show promising potential as host-supportive approaches for maintaining cellular homeostasis during viral infections. Nevertheless, standardized formulations, mechanistic validation, and well-designed clinical trials are required before definitive therapeutic conclusions can be established.