Author(s): Priyanka Rao and Nataraj HR

Abstract: Depression is a significant contributor to the global burden of disease and affects people in all communities across the world. It is a state of low mood and aversion to any activity which affects a person’s wellbeing. Ayurveda gives a prime role importance to mental health. According to latest health reports, Stress is said to be one of the largest killers of man today. It is now becoming more accepted as being crucially related to our total physical, mental, and spiritual health. Ayurveda describes it as a root cause of many diseases which disturbs the homeostasis of both the body and mind. There are a number of synthetic drugs which are being used as the standard treatment for clinically depressed patients and as also they have adverse effects which compromise the therapeutic treatment. Hence an attempt has made to review about the Medhya rasyana which demonstrate significant stress attenuating effects leading to depression in various experiments.