Herbs are obtained from a variety of plants which are broadly divided  into the following five categories

Sacred Plants

Nature worship was a common phenomenon  in the earliest civlisations as these forces provided all the basic necessities of the people and gradually people found out the importance of some plants to be of great benefit to them. And about 3000 years BC we find the evidence of actual worship in the Indian subcontinent as well as a reverence for nature as a source of medicine. This practice is much older than the period when Ayurveda became a serious science.

           Medicinal Plants

An important exponent of Ayurveda, Charaka, has categorised medicinal plants into fifty groups according to the physiological actions of the medicines that can be extracted from them. Modern science has also followed this path and is continuously harnessing medications from plants.

Ayurveda says that we are (to a great extent) what we eat. Thus Dietetics is an integral part of Ayurveda. Again in this section there is a varied classification of edible and potable substances. Ayurveda was at its peak when the teaching of Buddha had enlightened the masses and thus Ayurveda is more concentrated on vegetarianism however in exceptional cases animal products may also be prescribed in Ayurveda.

Cosmetics that have been described in classical Indian poetry have come a long way through the harems of royals as well as through the houses of women of desire and are still very popular. These cosmetics are used to supplement beauty and health to the skin, hair and for other body treatments.

Ayurveda recommends that the mind and the senses must be healthy and full of life in order to enjoy a disease free healthy and happy life. The air that we breath must be free from pollution and must be pleasant. The herbs that add fragrance to the atmosphere are covered under the Aromatic plants. These form a part of all festivals of India and are generally used to create a light and refreshing atmosphere.