The United States has no national standard for certifying or training Ayurvedic practitioners, although a few states have approved Ayurvedic schools. Some Ayurvedic professional organizations are collaborating to develop licensing requirements.

Is NCCAM supporting any studies on Ayurveda?
Yes, NCCAM supports studies in this area. For example:

• Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine tested the effects of guggul lipid on high cholesterol. Over the 6-month period of this study, they did not find that adults with high cholesterol showed any improvement in cholesterol levels. In fact, the levels of low-density lipoproteins (the "bad" cholesterol) increased slightly in some people in the group taking guggul. In addition, some in the guggul lipid group developed a skin rash. This team is conducting further studies on herbal therapies used in Ayurveda for cardiovascular conditions, including curcuminoids (substances found in the root of the plant turmeric).
• At the NCCAM-supported Center for Phytomedicine Research at the University of Arizona, scientists are investigating three botanicals (ginger, turmeric, and boswellia) used in Ayurvedic medicine to treat inflammatory disorders. They are seeking to better understand these botanicals and determine whether they might be useful in treating arthritis and asthma.
• A compound from a plant called Mucuna pruriens, also known as cowhage, is being studied at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation. The research team is investigating the compound's potential to prevent or lessen the severe, often disabling side effects that people with Parkinson's disease experience from prolonged treatment with conventional drugs.