The complexity of Ayurvedic herbs yields a host of medicinal properties with far-reaching effects on multiple targets and body systems. The herbal compounds in Ayurveda have a natural synergy with the body, promoting balance and resistance to stress. Research has shown that Ayurvedic herbs have a prebiotic effect, promoting the growth and activity of beneficial gut microbes while inhibiting less desirable bacteria. The discovery of the prebiotic effects of herbs on gut microbes has expanded the view of herbal medicine to include the microbes as mediators of therapeutic effects.