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Introduction: Public health today faces major challenges including the rising burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), emerging infectious threats, mental health disorders, and escalating health care costs. Ayurveda, India’s traditional system of medicine, emphasizes prevention, health promotion, and sustainable care. Panchakarma, the detoxification and rejuvenation branch of Ayurveda, offers significant potential for integration into public health frameworks. Methods: This review draws upon evidence from classical Ayurvedic texts (Charaka Samhita, Sushruta Samhita, Ashtanga Hridaya), as well as modern databases including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. Search terms used were “Panchakarma,” “Ayurveda,” “public health,” “preventive medicine,” and “community interventions.” Publications between 2000 and 2025 were included if they addressed Panchakarma in preventive health, NCD management, or community-level interventions. Results: Panchakarma demonstrates relevance for public health in several domains: (i) Preventive health – seasonal regimens and detoxification reduce disease vulnerability; (ii) NCD management – trials show benefits in obesity, diabetes, arthritis, and metabolic syndrome; (iii) Mental health – interventions such as Shirodhara and Basti improve stress, anxiety, and sleep disturbances; (iv) Community initiatives – Panchakarma camps and institutional outreach enhance health literacy and accessibility; (v) Sustainability – eco-friendly therapies and cost-effectiveness strengthen its suitability for population-level interventions. Despite promising findings, heterogeneity in methods and limited large-scale trials restrict generalizability. Discussion: Panchakarma aligns with public health goals by integrating prevention, disease management, and health promotion within a sustainable framework. However, research quality, standardization, scalability, and policy integration remain challenges. Conclusion: Panchakarma has considerable scope in public health as a holistic, preventive, and sustainable model. Strengthening clinical validation, standardization, and inclusion in health policy will enhance its role in global health care.

KEYWORDS: Ayurveda, community health, Panchakarma, preventive medicine, public health