Many present-day diseases are caused by disruption of the delicate balance between the reactive oxygen/nitrogen species (ROS/RNS) produced by oxidants and their scavenging by the antioxidants in the body. Chief among them is Alzheimer's disease (AD), an age-related neurodegenerative disease caused by the accumulation in the brain of amyloid beta (Aβ) plaques and of neurofibrillary tangles made up of the protein tau. Various theories for the pathogenesis of AD have been given, but no precise mechanism of its pathogenesis has been elucidated to date. A number of scientists are currently focusing on developing therapeutics for the prevention and treatment of AD. Natural plant-based products, which have been known traditionally in the treatment of brain disorders, could be a great help. Traditional herbal formulations developed for brain disorders are known as “Medhya drugs” in the Indian system of medicine called “Ayurveda” – a disease-preventive and health-promotive approach dating back to 5000 BC. This review focuses on the traditional use of some common Indian herbs in relation to AD, alongside recent advances in our understanding of their modes of action.