Bridging traditional medicine and endocrinology: Assessing herbal and ayurvedic therapies for hypothyroidism
Priyanka Rana, Miryala Roopa Rani, Vinay Tripathi, Akshat Kashyap
Abstract
Thyroid problems are among the most prevalent and difficult endocrine illnesses that we face globally. Goitre/iodine deficiency, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, and thyroid cancer are among the major thyroid conditions because of their varied clinical appearance. Hypothyroidism is possibly the most difficult of them to diagnose. A lack of the thyroid hormones triiodothyronine and thyroxine in the body is the cause of hypothyroidism. The condition known as mild or subclinical hypothyroidism occurs when blood thyroid-stimulating hormone levels are slightly high, but peripheral thyroid hormone levels are within the normal range. There is currently little information on the direct experimental, pharmacological, or preclinical forms of proof that using herbal and ayurvedic medications to treat hypothyroidism is effective. This article's scope includes the effectiveness of herbal medications or traditional Ayurvedic treatments in reducing the pathophysiological symptoms of hypothyroidism.
Keywords
References
- Malbos D. Hypothyroidism. Actualites Pharmaceutiques. 2024; 63(634). 27-30. doi: 10.1016/j.actpha.2023. 12.022
- Drugda J, Čáp J, Gabalec F. Subclinical hypothyroidism. Vnitrni Lekarstvi. 2023; 69(6). 394-396. doi: 10.36290 /VNL.2023.077
- Chaker L, Bianco AC, Jonklaas J, Peeters RP. Hypothyroidism. The Lancet. 2017; 390(10101): 1550-1562. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(17)30703-1
- Leng O, Razvi S. Hypothyroidism in the older population. Thyroid Research. 2019; 12(1): 2. doi: 10.1186/s 13044-019-0063-3
- Liu H, Peng D. Update on dyslipidemia in hypothyroidism: The mechanism of dyslipidemia in hypothyroidism. Endocrine Connections. 2022; 11 (2): e210002. doi: 10.1530/EC-21-0002
- Wassner AJ. Congenital hypothyroidism. Clinics in Perinatology. 2018; 45(1): 1-18. doi: 10.1016/j.clp.2017 .10.004
- Trifu DS, Gil-Fournier Esquerra N, Peláez Torres N, Álvarez Hernández J. Hypothyroidism. Medicine (Spain). 2020; 13(13). 727-734. doi: 10.1016/j.med.2020.07.003
- Bhat R, Bhat SS, Nisarga P. A systematic review and meta-analysis of traditional Chinese medicine in Parkinsonism. Mediterranean Journal of Medical Research. 2025; 2(4): 169-178. doi: 10.5281/zenodo. 17344302
- Adeleke PA, Okubena O, Okubena A, Ajayi AM, Okubena O, Jegede FB, et al. Anti-aging potentials of a polyphenol-rich supplement from African Sorghum bicolor leaf sheaths: A narrative review. Mediterranean Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science. 2025; 5(4): 58-77. doi: 10.5281/zenodo.17742769
- Ahmed R, Uddin MM, Hoque M. Nutraceuticals: Food-based therapeutics and health benefits. Mediterranean Journal of Medicine and Medical Sciences. 2025; 1(1): 22-30. doi: 10.5281/zenodo.15771921
- Ghaffari-Saravi F, Jokar A. Herbal remedies for hypothyroidism: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Caspian Journal of Internal Medicine. 2024; 16(1): 1-8. doi: 10.22088/cjim.16.1.1
- Saeri S, Hadjzadeh MAR, Hosseini M, Hosseinian S, Arab Z. The effects of the combination of Cyperus rotundus, Crocus sativus, Piper nigrum, and Boswellia serrata on learning and memory deficit and oxidative damage in brain tissue of hypothyroid rats. 2020; Journal of Food Biochemistry. 44(9): 10.1111/jfbc.13391. doi: 10.1111/jfbc.13391
- Dalli M, Bekkouch O, Azizi SE, Azghar A, Gseyra N, Kim B. Nigella sativa l. Phytochemistry and pharmacological activities: A review (2019-2021). Biomolecules. 2022; 12(1): 20. doi: 10.3390/biom12010020
- Hikmah Z, Endaryanto A, Ugrasena IDG, Rahaju AS, Arifin S. Nigella sativa L. as immunomodulator and preventive effect on renal tissue damage of lupus mice induced by pristane. Heliyon. 2022; 8(4): e09242. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e09242
- Falana MB, Dikwa MA, Ainmi MR, Nurudeen QO. Comparative composition, antioxidants, and antimicrobial effects of 3- and 7-day fermented seeds of Nigella sativa. Mediterranean Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science. 2024; 4(1): 22-34. doi: 10.5281/zenodo.10627412
- Batiha GES, Al-Snafi AE, Thuwaini MM, Teibo JO, Shaheen HM, Akomolafe AP, et al. Morus alba: a comprehensive phytochemical and pharmacological review. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg’s Archives of Pharmacology. 2023; 396(7): 1399-1413. doi: 10.1007/s00210-023-02434-4
- Kumar T, Chandrashekar KS. Bauhinia purpurea linn.: A review of its ethnobotany, phytochemical and pharmacological profile. Research Journal of Medicinal Plant. 2011; 5(4): 420-431. doi.10.3923/rjmp.2011. 420.431
- Gopalakrishnan L, Doriya K, Kumar DS. Moringa oleifera: A review on nutritive importance and its medicinal application. Food Science and Human Wellness. 2016; 5(2): 49-56. doi: 10.1016/j.fshw.2016.04.001
- Leone A, Spada A, Battezzati A, Schiraldi A, Aristil J, Bertoli S. Cultivation, genetic, ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry and pharmacology of Moringa oleifera leaves: An overview. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2015; 16(6): 12791-12835. doi: 10.3390/ijms160612791
- Garang Z, Feng Q, Luo R, La M, Zhang J, Wu L, Wang Z, Zeweng Y, Jiangyong S. Commiphora mukul (Hook. ex-Stocks) Engl.: Historical records, application rules, phytochemistry, pharmacology, clinical research, and adverse reaction. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 2023; 317: 116717. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2023.116717
- Ragavi R, Surendran SA. Commiphora mukul: An overview. Research Journal of Pharmacy and Technology. 2018; 11(7): 3205-3208. doi: 10.5958/0974-360X.2018.00589.9
- Paul S, Chakraborty S, Anand U, Dey S, Nandy S, Ghorai M, et al. Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal (Ashwagandha): A comprehensive review on ethnopharmacology, pharmacotherapeutics, biomedicinal and toxicological aspects. Biomedicine and Pharmacotherapy. 2021; 143: 112175. doi: 10.1016/j.biopha.2021. 112175
- Ma ZF, Ahmad J, Zhang H, Khan I, Muhammad S. Evaluation of phytochemical and medicinal properties of Moringa (Moringa oleifera) as a potential functional food. South African Journal of Botany. 2020; 129: 40-46. doi: 10.1016/j.sajb.2018.12.002
- Kamble A. Phytochemical studies on Achyranthes aspera. World Scientific News. 2018; 100(5): 16-34. doi: Nil.
- Kushwaha U. Evaluation of qualitative phytochemical analysis of water extract of Achyranthes aspera and Achyranthes aspera 30. Indian Journal of Research in Homoeopathy. 2019; 13(1): 37-40. doi: 10.4103/ijrh. ijrh_30_18
- Singha MB, Lahkar M, Head E, Sarma T. Anti-hypothyroid potential of Bauhinia variegate and Commiphora mukul extracts in albino Wistar rats: A histopathological investigation. Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry. 2019; 8(1): 1736-1740. Corpus ID: 196650400.
- Sharma R. Gauhinia variegate against ethylene glycol induced urolithiasis in Wistar rats. Indian Journal of Health Care, Medical and Pharmacy Practice. 2023; 4(2): 8-20. doi: 10.59551/ijhmp/25832069/2023.4.2.20
- Jain A, Katewa SS, Galav PK, Sharma P. Medicinal plant diversity of Sitamata wildlife sanctuary, Rajasthan, India. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 2005; 102(2): 143-157. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2005.05.047
- Eichhornia crassipes. EPPO Bulletin. 2009; 39(3): 460-464. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2338.2009.02330.x
- Ben Bakrim W, Ezzariai A, Karouach F, Sobeh M, Kibret M, Hafidi M, Kouisni L, Yasri A. Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms: A comprehensive review of its chemical composition, traditional use, and value-added products. Frontiers in Pharmacology. 2022; 13: 842511. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2022.842511
- Lesieur V, Sforza RFH, Sheppard AW, Shaw RH. Prioritising environmental invasive weeds of European concern for classical biological control: A reanalysis. Weed Research. 2023; 63(4): 218-231. doi: 10.1111/wre. 12582
- Amthul A, Nitya B. Reduction of Pathogenic Indicators in Sewage Water using Azadirchta indica, A. Juss (Neem) and Pistia startiotes (Water Lettuce). International Journal of Zoological Investigations. 2021; 7(2): 829-840. doi: 10.33745/ijzi.2021.v07i02.070
- Tanideh N, Daneshmand F, Karimimanesh M, Mottaghipisheh J, Koohpeyma F, Koohi-Hosseinabadi O, et al. Hydroalcoholic extract of Glycyrrhiza glabra root combined with Linum usitatissimum oil as an alternative for hormone replacement therapy in ovariectomized rats. Heliyon. 2023; 9(5): e15557. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon. 2023.e15557
- Kauser S, Hussain A, Ashraf S, Fatima G, Ambreen Javaria S, Abideen ZU. Flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum); phytochemistry, pharmacological characteristics and functional food applications. Food Chemistry Advances. 2024; 4: 100753. doi: 10.1016/j.focha.2023.100573
- Sarfraz H, Ahmad IZ. A systematic review on the pharmacological potential of Linum usitatissimum L.: A significant nutraceutical plant. Journal of Herbal Medicine. 2023; 42: 100725. doi: 10.1016/j.hermed.2023. 100755
- Zhang S, Kou X, Zhao H, Mak KK, Balijepalli MK, Pichika MR. Zingiber officinale var. rubrum: Red Ginger’s Medicinal Uses. Molecules. 2022; 27(3): 755. doi: 10.3390/molecules27030775
- Edo GI, Onoharigho FO, Jikah AN, Ezekiel GO, Essaghah AEA, Ekokotu HA, et al. Evaluation of the physicochemical, phytochemical and anti-bacterial potential of Zingiber officinale (ginger). Food Chemistry Advances. 2024; 4: 100625. doi: 10.1016/j.focha.2024.100625
- Mao Q, Xu XY, Cao SY, Gan RY, Corke H, Beta T, Li HBin. Bioactive compounds and bioactivities of ginger (Zingiber officinale roscoe). Foods. 2019; 8(6): 185. doi: 10.3390/foods8060185
- Hassan R, Masoodi MH. Saussurea lappa: A comprehensive review on its pharmacological activity and phytochemistry. Current Traditional Medicine. 2019; 6(1): 1-11. doi: 10.2174/2215083805666190626144909
- Kumar J, Pundir M. Phytochemistry and pharmacology of Saussurea genus (Saussurea lappa, Saussurea costus, Saussurea obvallata, Saussurea involucrata). Materials Today: Proceedings. 2022; 56: 1173-1181. doi: 10.1016/ j.matpr.2021.11.145
- Zahara K, Tabassum S, Sabir S, Arshad M, Qureshi R, Amjad MS, Chaudhari SK. A review of therapeutic potential of Saussurea lappa-An endangered plant from Himalaya. Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Medicine. 2014; 7(S1): S60-S69. doi:10.1016/S1995-7645(14)60204-2
Submitted date:
12/02/2025
Reviewed date:
02/15/2026
Accepted date:
02/24/2026
Publication date:
02/27/2026
