Terminalia chebula: A Brief View

Terminalia chebula: A Brief View

The Terminalia Chebula known as Haritaki is an age old Indian Herb. Its medicinal benefits are many. It is a deciduous tree growing to 30-metre (98 ft) tall, with a trunk up to 1-metre (3 ft 3 in) in diameter. The leaves are alternate to subopposite in arrangement, oval, 7–8-centimetre (2.8–3.1 in) long and 4.5–10-centimetre (1.8–3.9 in) broad with a 1–3-centimetre (0.39–1.2 in) petiole. The fruit is drupe-like, 2–4.5-centimetre (0.79–1.8 in) long and 1.2–2.5-centimetre (0.47–0.98 in) broad, blackish, with five longitudinal ridges. In Urdu and Hindi it is called Harad, Haritaki, or Harada, respectively 'Inknut'. In Sri Lanka it is called Aralu. In Marathi it is called as 'Hirada', in Kannada it is called 'Alalekaayi' and in Tamil it is called 'Kadukkai'. In Bengali it is called horitoky. In Assamese it is called Hilikha. In Telugu it is called 'Karakkaya'. In the United States it is found in some Indian stores; it is known as 'Harde Whole'.

BOTONICAL NAME
 

Terminalia chebula , Terminalia reticulata

FAMILY
 

Combretaceae

STRUCTURE

Large tree, young branchlets, leaf buds,
Leaves:- mostly subopposite, distant, ovate, with long, soft, shining, rust coloured, or silvery hairs.Wither in the cold season.
Flowers:- Dull white or yellowish, with a strong offensive smell.Blossom in April to May.

Fruits:- Obovoid or ellipsoidal from a broad base, glabrous.Formation in November to January.
 

HABITAT

Abundant in North India and southwards to the Deccan tablelands at 1,000 to 3,000 ft.
 

PHARMACOLOGY

Fruit contains a constituent which has a wide antibacterial and antifungal spectrum.and also inhibits growth of E.coli, the most commonorganism responsible for urinary tract infection. The fruit pulp exhibits laxative properties.
 

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION

Fruits:- Contain astringent substances - tannic acid, Chebulinic acid, gallic acid etc. Resin and a purgative principle of the nature of anthraquinone and sennoside are also present.

 

Topical Use Of Terminalia Chebula: Its paste with water is found to be anti-inflammatory, analgesic and having purifiying and healing capacity for wounds. Its decoction as a lotion is surgical dressing for healing the wound earlier.

 Equal parts of three myrobalans and catechu are made in a paste with clarified butter or some bland oil work as an ointment in chronic ulcerations, ulcerated wounds and other skin diseases with discharge.