Traditional medicine systems like Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) have been used for centuries to manage chronic diseases. This study aimed to investigate the pharmacological basis of these systems by analyzing their bioactive compounds and evaluating their anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and enzyme inhibitory activities. Phytochemical profiling of selected Ayurvedic and TCM formulations was performed using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Pharmacological activities were assessed through in vitro assays, including nitric oxide (NO) inhibition in RAW 264.7 macrophages, reactive oxygen species (ROS) reduction in HepG2 cells, and α-glucosidase and COX-2 inhibition assays.

The results revealed the presence of key bioactive compounds, including curcumin, piperine, withaferin A, berberine, ginsenosides, and astragalosides, with significant synergistic interactions observed among these components. Ayurvedic formulations exhibited a 72.2% reduction in NO levels and a 58.3% reduction in ROS, while TCM formulations achieved 66.4% and 61.7% reductions, respectively. Enzyme inhibition studies showed stronger α-glucosidase inhibition by Ayurvedic formulations (IC50 = 14.3 ± 0.5 µg/mL) and greater COX-2 inhibition by TCM formulations (IC50 = 19.4 ± 0.7 µg/mL). Statistical analyses confirmed the efficacy of both systems, with minor differences in their therapeutic focuses.