ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the role of Ayurvedic medicine in drug discovery on the basis of reverse pharmacology. The scope of reverse pharmacology is to understand the mechanisms of action at multiple levels of biological organization and to optimize safety, efficacy and acceptability of the leads in natural products, based on relevant science. Discovery of reserpine from Rauwolfia serpentina (Sarpagandha) is classical example of drug-discovery on the principles of reverse pharmacology.
