Food for Health
Food for Health
Haritaki (Terminalia chebula)
Ingredients

Haritaki (Terminalia chebula)

Explore the available health information, treatment context, and integrative evidence for Haritaki (Terminalia chebula).

Background
  • Haritaki is a common herbaceous plant used widely in Ayurvedic medicine, a traditional holistic medicine with origins in India. People eat the haritaki fruit in pickled or candied form and in fruit preserves.
  • Haritaki is used as a medicine for many conditions, the most common being constipation, digestive conditions, and infection. Haritaki fruit contains chemicals that have laxative and astringent effects. It may have also antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-allergic, and diuretic properties. Well-designed human studies are needed to determine if haritaki is safe and effective for treating any medical condition.
References

Natural Standard developed the above evidence-based information based on a thorough systematic review of the available scientific articles. For comprehensive information about alternative and complementary therapies on the professional level, go to . Selected references are listed below.

  • Ballabh, B, Chaurasia, OP, Ahmed, Z, et al. Traditional medicinal plants of cold desert Ladakh-used against kidney and urinary disorders. J Ethnopharmacol. 7-23-2008;118(2):331-339.
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  • Carounanidy, U., Satyanarayanan, R., and Velmurugan, A. Use of an aqueous extract of Terminalia chebula as an anticaries agent: a clinical study. Indian J Dent.Res 2007;18(4):152-156.
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  • Kim, HG, Cho, JH, Jeong, EY, et al. Growth-inhibiting activity of active component isolated from Terminalia chebula fruits against intestinal bacteria. J Food Prot. 2006;69(9):2205-2209.
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  • Kumar, MS, Kirubanandan, S, Sripriya, R, et al. Triphala promotes healing of infected full-thickness dermal wound. J Surg.Res 2008;144(1):94-101.
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  • Kurokawa, M, Nagasaka, K, Hirabayashi, T, et al. Efficacy of traditional herbal medicines in combination with acyclovir against herpes simplex virus type 1 infection in vitro and in vivo. Antiviral Res 1995;27(1-2):19-37.
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  • Meena, AK, Bansal, P, Kumar, S, et al. Estimation of heavy metals in commonly used medicinal plants: a market basket survey. Environ. Monit. Assess. 12-18-2009;
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  • Murali, YK, Anand, P, Tandon, V, et al. Long-term effects of Terminalia chebula Retz. on hyperglycemia and associated hyperlipidemia, tissue glycogen content and in vitro release of insulin in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats. Exp.Clin Endocrinol.Diabetes 2007;115(10):641-646.
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  • Patel, RK, Gondaliya, DP, and Subramanian, S. Evaluation of commercial "Haradae" (Terminalia chebula). Indian Journal of Natural Products (India) 2004;19:511-518
  • Prasad, KP, Tharangani, PG, and Samaranayake, CN. Recurrent relapses of depression in a patient established on sertraline after taking herbal medicinal mixtures--a herb-drug interaction? J Psychopharmacol 2009;23(2):216-219.
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  • Sabu, MC and Kuttan, R. Anti-diabetic activity of medicinal plants and its relationship with their antioxidant property. J Ethnopharmacol. 2002;81(2):155-160.
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  • Saravanan, S, Srikumar, R, Manikandan, S, et al. Hypolipidemic effect of triphala in experimentally induced hypercholesteremic rats. Yakugaku Zasshi 2007;127(2):385-388.
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  • Senthilkumar, GP and Subramanian, S. Evaluation of antioxidant potential of Terminalia chebula fruits studies in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Pharmaceutical Biology (Netherlands) 2007;45:511-518
  • Srikumar, R, Parthasarathy, NJ, Shankar, EM, et al. Evaluation of the growth inhibitory activities of Triphala against common bacterial isolates from HIV infected patients. Phytother.Res 2007;21(5):476-480.
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  • Vonshak, A, Barazani, O, Sathiyamoorthy, P, et al. Screening South Indian medicinal plants for antifungal activity against cutaneous pathogens. Phytother.Res 2003;17(9):1123-1125.
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  • Yukawa, TA, Kurokawa, M, Sato, H, et al. Prophylactic treatment of cytomegalovirus infection with traditional herbs. Antiviral Res 1996;32(2):63-70.
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