Integrating agadtantra with modern toxicology: A review of convergences and research opportunities

This review examines how Agadtantra, the classical Ayurvedic discipline of toxicology, can be meaningfully integrated with contemporary toxicology to address the growing burden of chronic, low-dose and mixture exposures. It situates Agadtantra as both an indigenous scientific tradition and a living clinical practice, and explores its potential to complement mechanistic, reductionist toxicology with a systemic, resilience-oriented perspective. The review pursues three core objectives: to analyse conceptual convergences between Agadtantra and modern toxicology, to synthesise biomedical evidence on Ayurvedic antidotes and detox strategies, and to outline translational research pathways for integrative toxicology. Methodologically, the paper adopts a systematic literature review and qualitative synthesis, using a PRISMA-aligned search and selection process that yielded 53 key works spanning Ayurvedic toxicology, herbal detoxification, heavy-metal risk, systems toxicology, network pharmacology and One Health frameworks. Thematically, it proceeds through foundational concepts and classifications, therapeutic interventions and mechanistic overlaps, and a structured analysis of integrative convergences and research opportunities. The review identifies strong ontological and pathophysiological parallels between classical vi?a categories and modern toxicant domains, and maps Ayurvedic detox formulations onto contemporary mechanisms such as chelation, antioxidant defence, and immunomodulation and organ protection. It also foregrounds safety and quality-control challenges surrounding metal-containing preparations. Conceptually, it argues for an explicitly cross-epistemic, AOP-aligned and One Health-oriented research paradigm that links AYUSH, biomedical science, pharmacognosy and environmental health. The conclusion proposes concrete experimental, clinical and implementation agendas to develop an evidence-based, ethically governed integrative toxicology capable of addressing twenty-first century exposure realities.