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Introduction: Classical Ayurveda employs diverse dosage forms to deliver herbal medicines; among these, Churna (powder), Ghrita (herbal medicated ghee), and Asava–Arishta (fermented decoctions/wines) are central. These formulations alter pharmacokinetics, bioavailability, tissue targeting, and therapeutic actions — churna for rapid GI action and local effect, ghrita for deep snehana, rasayana and neuro-psycho-immunomodulation, and asava–arishta for bioavailability enhancement, long-term therapy, and gut–microbiome interactions. Modern pharmacology offers mechanistic explanations for these effects (lipid-mediated delivery, fermentation-derived metabolites, altered solubility of phytoconstituents). Methods: We conducted a narrative integrative review of classical Ayurvedic texts (Charaka Samhita, Sushruta Samhita, Ashtanga Hridaya, Sharangdhara Samhita, Bhavaprakasha Nighantu) and contemporary literature from PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar (1950–2025). Search terms included “churna pharmacology,” “medicated ghee ghrita pharmacokinetics,” “Asava Arishta fermentation,” “Ayurvedic formulations pharmacology,” and specific formulation names. Included were pharmaceutics, pharmacokinetic, preclinical, clinical, and review studies. Exclusion criteria: anecdotal reports without methodological detail and non-translated classical commentaries. Results: Classical pharmaceutics describe preparation methods, indication matrices, and processing rationales (Samskara). Modern studies show: (1) Ghrita enhances delivery of lipophilic phytoconstituents across the gut and blood-brain barrier, modifies lymphatic uptake, and exerts immunomodulatory and neuroprotective effects; (2) Churna retains thermolabile constituents, provides rapid dissolution and activity in GI tract, and serves as an excipient for dose titration and local action; (3) Asava–Arishta fermentation produces low-alcohol matrices containing microbial metabolites, improves extraction of polar and semi-polar compounds, improves palatability and shelf stability, and influences host microbiota leading to systemic immunometabolic effects. Clinical reports support enhanced tolerability and efficacy of medicated ghritas and fermented formulations in chronic conditions (neurological disorders, digestive ailments, metabolic syndromes), while churna forms remain popular for acute GI and respiratory presentations. Discussion: Ayurvedic formulation science embeds pharmaceutic principles now recognizable in pharmaceutical sciences — solvent polarity tuning, lipid carriers, pro-drug/biotransformation via fermentation, and targeted tissue tropism via route and vehicle. Gaps include limited standardized pharmacokinetic data, variability in traditional methods, and scarce large randomized clinical trials comparing formulation types. Conclusion: Churna, Ghrita, and Asava–Arishta represent rational, time-tested dosage forms with distinct pharmacological profiles. Integrative research combining classical pharmaceutics, modern analytical chemistry, pharmacokinetics, microbiome science, and rigorous clinical evaluation will accelerate evidence-based adoption of these formulations in contemporary therapeutics.

KEYWORDS: Asava, Arishta, Ghrita, Churna, Formulation pharmacology