DRAVYAGUNA VIJNANA AND PHYTOCHEMISTRY: A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW ON PLANT SECONDARY METABOLITES AND THEIR THERAPEUTIC PHARMACODYNAMICS

Plants produce a rich variety of natural compounds known as secondary metabolites. While these chemicals are not required for a plant's basic daily growth, they play vital roles in helping the plant survive, defend itself against pests and diseases, and adapt to harsh environmental conditions. In both modern medicine and traditional Ayurvedic science (Dravyaguna Vijnana), these active plant compounds form the biological foundation for how herbal remedies work and how new medicinal drugs are discovered. This comprehensive review bridges ancient wisdom and modern science by exploring the chemical structures, natural sources, healing mechanisms, and Ayurvedic equivalents of six major groups of plant compounds: Phenolics, Alkaloids, Saponins, Terpenes, Lipids, and Carbohydrates.