This document provides information on Terminalia chebula, a species of tree native to southern Asia. It discusses the introduction, nomenclature, characteristics, cultivation, uses and pharmacological properties of T. chebula. Some key points include that it is a deciduous tree growing up to 30 meters tall, its fruit has a bitter taste and is used in Ayurvedic medicine to treat various conditions. Studies have shown that extracts from T. chebula have antioxidant, anticancer, antimicrobial and other pharmacological effects.

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Introduction
Nomenclature
Habitat and distribution
Cultivation and collection
Macroscopic character
Microscopic character
Pharmacopeial standard
Ethnomedical uses
Pharmacological action
Phytochemical constituents
Formulations
References
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Terminalia chebula is a species of Terminalia,
native to southern Asia from India and Nepal east to
southwestern China, and south to Sri Lanka,
Malaysia and Vietnam.
It is a deciduous tree growing 30-metre (98 ft.) tall,
with a trunk up to 1-metre in diameter.
It grows in tropical and sub-tropical forests uo to
height of 1500m in Nepal in the variety of soils,
clayey as well as shady.
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July 3, 2018Source: Bag A. et al., 2013 4
Fig: harro tree

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Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Myrtales
Family: Combretaceae
Genus: Terminalia
Species: Terminalia chebula
Common name: Harro
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It is a medium sized deciduous tree, about 30m
high, distributed throughout Nepal to about 1500m
in openings in Shorea robusta forest.
It is native to tropical Asia.
It is common in mixed deciduous forest.
•Flowering: April to June
•Fruiting season: December to March
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 Light: The tree is a strong light demander. It requires direct
overhead light and cannot tolerate shade of cramped situation.
The young plants, however appreciate a certain amount of
shade and benefit by side protection from the hot sun.
 Soil type: It can be grown on wide range of soils from loam to
lateritic soils with moderate fertility. The plant attains the best
development on loose, well-drained soil.
 Temperature: Average temperature ranging from 10-48 degree
Celsius is suitable for its growth.
 Moisture: the tree grows well in moist regions.
 Altitude: up to 1500-2000 m.
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 Leaves: alternate or opposite, thin coriaceous, ovate, 7-12 cm
* 4-6.5 cm, rounded at base, obtuse to sub acute at apex,
entire, pubescent beneath, petiole up to 2 cm long, provided
with 2 glands at the base of the leaf blade.
 Flowers: spikes at the end of branches, sessile, dull white in
color and odor offensive in terminal spikes.
 Fruit: ovoid, drupaceous, glabrous shining, obscurely 5-
angled.
 Organoleptic properties:
 Color: yellow to dark brown
 Odor: offensive
 Taste: bitter, sour, astringent and sweet
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 T.S. of fruit: the epidermis consists of single layer and
tangentially elongated. These are covered with a thin cuticle.
Just below the epidermis the outer mesocarpic region consists
of 6-10 layers of cells which are filled with abundant starch
grains and tannin. At the mesocarpic region, sclereids are
present, these are about 4-6 cells thick and arranged
tangentially. These sclerified cells are thick walled, lignified
and elongated. Below the sclerenchymatous layer occurs a
layer of 20-25 cells thick mesocarpic cells, which are
parenchymatous in nature, oval to round in shape and are
filled with starch grains and tannins. At certain places in the
mesocarp there are vascular strands. The vascular strands
consists of spiral elements.
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The mesocarpic cells contain abundant rosettes of
Ca-oxalates. Starch grains present in cells of outer
and inner mesocarpic region, are simple to
compound oval to round.
Chromosome number: 2n=24, 36, 48, 72
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July 3, 2018Source: Bag A. et al., 2013 11
Fig: fruit of harro

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Total ash value: 2.50%
Acid insoluble ash: 0.15%
Water soluble ash: 1.17%
Alcohol soluble extractive: 4.95%
Water-soluble extractive: 4.15%
Foreign organic matter: 0%
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 The fruit is mild laxative, stomachic, tonic, alterative, antispasmodic. It is
useful in opthalmia, hemorrhoids, dental caries, bleeding gums, ulcered
oral cavity.
 Its paste with water is found to be anti-inflammatory, analgesic and
having purifying and healing capacity for wounds. Its decoction is used as
gargle in oral ulcers, sore throat.
 Its powder is a good astringent dentifrice in loose gums, bleeding and
ulceration in gums. It is good to increase appetite, digestive aid, liver
stimulant, stomachic, gastrointestinal prokinetic agent, and mild laxative.
The powder of T. chebula fruits has been used in chronic diarrhea. It is
used in nervous weakness, nervous irritability. It promotes the receiving
power of five senses. It is adjuvant in hemorrhages due to its astringent
nature and good for chronic cough, chorizo, sore throat as well as asthma.
Also it is useful in renal calculi, dysurea, retention of urine and skin
disorders with discharges like allergies, urticaria and other erythematous
disorders.
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Antioxidant and free radical scavenging activity
The leaves, bark and fruit of T. chebula possessed high antioxidant activity
and phenolics were found to be responsible for this activity. Aqueous extract
of T. chebula inhibited xanthine/xanthine oxidase activity and was also an
excellent scavenger of DPPH radicals. T. chebula in a polyherbal formulation
inhibited free radical induced hemolysis and also significantly inhibited nitric
oxide release from lipopolysaccharide stimulated murine macrophages. Six
extracts and four compounds of T. chebula fruit exhibited antioxidant activity
at different magnitudes of potency. Strong antioxidant activity of aqueous
extract of T. chebula was observed by studying the inhibition of radiation
induced lipid peroxidation in rat liver microsomes at different doses, and
methanolic extract was also found to inhibit lipid peroxide formation and to
scavenge hydroxyl and superoxide radicals in vitro. (Bag A. et al., 2013)
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Anticarcinogenic activity
A group of researchers have reported the inhibitory action on
cancer cell growth by the phenolics of T. chebula Retz fruit and
found that chebulinic acid, tannic acid and ellagic acid were the
most growth inhibitory phenolics of T. chebula. Ethanol extract
of T. chebula fruit inhibited cell proliferation and induced cell
death in a dose dependent manner in several malignant cell lines
including human and mouse breast cancer cell line, human
osteosarcoma cell line, human prostate cancer cell and a non-
tumorigenic immortalized human prostate cell line. Besides,
acetone extract of bark and fruit powder of T. chebula harbors
constituents with promising anticarcinogenic activity. (Bag A. et
al.,2013)
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Antimutagenic, radioprotective and chemoprotective activity
Antimutagenic activity of aqueous extract and hydrolyzable
tannins from T. chebula in Salmonella typhimurium has been
documented. Gamma radiation induced strand breaks formation
in plasmid PBR322 DNA was inhibited by aquesous extract of T.
chebula. The administration of aqueous extract of T. chebula
prior to whole body irradiation of mice resulted in a reduction of
peroxidation of membrane lipids in the mice liver as well as a
decrease in radiation induced damage to DNA. It also protected
the human lymphocytes from undergoing the gamma radiation-
induced damage to DNA exposed in vitro. T. chebula showed
chemopreventive effect on nickel chloride -induced renal
oxidative stress, toxicity and cell proliferation response in male
Wistar rats. (Bag A. et al., 2013)
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Hepatoprotective activity
A mixture of chebulic acid and its minor isomer, neochebulic acid
with a ratio of 2:1 isolated from ethanolic extract of T. chebula
fruits showed strong hepatoprotective activity. Ethanol extract of
T. chebula was found to prevent the hepatotoxiocity caused by
the adminstration of rifampicin, isoniazid and pyrazinamide
(combination) in sub-chronic model. Protective effects of an
aqueous extract of T. chebula fruit on the tert-butyl
hydroperoxide-induced oxidative injury was observed in cultured
rat primary hepatocytes and rat liver have also been documented.
T. chebula in a herbal formulation (HP-1) showed
hepatoprotective activity against carbon tetrachloride induced
toxicity in rat hepatocytes. (Bag A. et al., 2013)
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Cardioprotective activity
T. chebula extract pretreatment was found to ameliorate the effect
of isoproterenol on lipid peroxide formation and retained the
activities of the diagnostic marker enzymes in isoproterenol
induced myocardial damage in rats. Its pericap has also been
reported to have cardioprotective activity in isolated frog heart
model. (Bag A. et al., 2013)
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Cytoprotective activity
Gallic acid (GA) and CA were isolated from the extract of the herbal medicine
Kashi (myrobalan, the fruit of T. chebula) as active principal that blocked the
cytotoxic T- lyphocyte-mediated cytotoxicity. Granule exocytosis in response
to anti-CD3 stimulation was also blocked by GA and CA at the equivalent
concentrations. The ethanolic extract of T. chebula fruit exhibited a notable
cytoprotective effect on the HEK-N/F cells. In addition its extract exhibited
significant cytoprotective effect against UV-induced oxidative damage. These
observations were attributed to the inhibitory effect of the T. chebula extract
on the age dependent shortening of the telomere length as shown by the
Southern Blots of the terminal restriction fragments of DNA extracted from
sub-culture passages. It exhibited the development of duodenal ulcers and
appeared to exert a cytoprotective effect on the gastric mucosa in vivo.
Cytoprotective effect on oxidative stress and inhibitory effect on cellular aging
of its fruits have also been documented. (Bag A. et al., 2013)
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Antidiabetic and renoprotective activity
T. chebula fruit and seeds exhibited dose dependent reduction in
blood glucose of streptozotocin induced diabetic rats both in
short term and long term study and also had renoprotective
activity. (Bag A. et al., 2013)
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Antibacterial activity
T. chebula exhibited antibacterial activity against a number of both Gram-positive and
Gram-negative human pathogenic bacteria. Ethanedioic acid and ellagic acid isolated
from butanol fraction of T. chebula fruit extract had strong antibacterial activity against
intestinal bacteria, Clostridium perfingens and Escherichia coli. It is effective in
inhibiting the urease activity of Helicobactor pyrolian ubiquitous bacterium implicated
in the development of gastritis, ulcers and stomach cancers. GA and its ethyl ester
isolated from ethanolic extract of T. chebula showed antimicrobial activity against
methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus(S. aureus). Ripe seeds of T. chebula also
exhibited strong antibacterial activity against S. aureus. The aqueous extract of T.
chebula strongly inhibited the growth of Streptococcus mutans, salivary bacteria.
Diffusate of T. chebula showed an inhibitory effect against strain X-100 of the
bacterium Xanthomonas campestris pv. citri indicating its usefulness for the
management of citrus canker disease. It has also growth inhibitory action against
Salmonella typhi, Klebsiella, Shigella and intestinal bacteria. Ethanol extract of T.
chebula fruit showed strong antibacterial activity against multidrug-resistant
uropathogenic Escherichia coli and phenolics were found to be responsible for this
antibacterial activity. (Bag A. et al., 2013)
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Antifungal activity
An aqueous extract of T. chebula exhibited antifungal activity against a
number of dermatophytes and yeasts. It is effective against the pathogenic
yeast Candida albicans and dermatophytes Epidermophyton, Floccosum,
Microsporum gypseum and Trichophyton rubrum. Its inhibitory effect on three
dermatophytes (Trichophyton spp.) and three yeasts (Candida spp.) has also
been documented. An aqueous extract of galls of T. chebula showed inhibitory
effects on three dermatophytes (Trichophyton spp.) and three yeasts (Candida
spp.). In vitro anticandidal activity of methanol extract of T. chebula was
observed against clotrimazole resistant Candida albicans. Seed extract
exhibited antifungal activity against Trichophyton glabrata. (Bag A. et al.,
2013)
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Antiviral activity
T. chebula fruits afforded four immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) integrase
inhibitors, GA (I) and three galloyl glucoses (II-IV). Their galloyl moiety plays a major
role for inhibition against the 3’-processing of HIV-1 integrase of the compounds. T.
chebula has also retroviral reverse transcriptase inhibitory activity. It protects epithelial
cells against influenza A virus, supporting its traditional use for aiding in recovery from
acute respiratory infections. The methanol and aqueous extracts of T. chebula showed a
significant inhibitory activity with IC50 曑 5 µg/mL on human immunodeficiency
virus-1 reverse transcriptase. It also demonstrated the therapeutic activity against
herpes simplex virus both in vitro and in vitvo tests. These finding prompted a team of
Japanese researchers to investigate T. chebulas’s effect on human cytomagalovirus
(CMV). They found that T. chebula was effective in inhibiting the replication of human
cytomagalovirus in vitro and in an AIDS model with immunosuppressed mice and
concluded that it may be beneficial for the prevention of CMV diseases and
immonocompronised patients. It is also helpful in sexually transmitted diseases and
AIDS. Tannins from T. chebula are effective against potato virus x. (Bag A. et al.,
2013)
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Antiprotozoal activity
A combination of T. chebula and four other botanicals (Boerhavia
diffusa, Berberis aristata, Tinospora cordifolia, and Zingiber
officinale) had a maximum cure rate of 73% in experimental
amoebic liver abscess in hamsters and 89% in experimental
caecal amoebiasis in rats showing its antiamoebic activity against
Entamoeba histolytica. The acetone extract of T. chebula seeds
showed anti plasmodial activity against Plasmodium falciparum.
(Bag A. et al., 2013)
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Anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity
Aqueous extract of dried fruit of T. chebula showed anti-
inflammatory by inhibiting inducible nitric oxide synthesis.
Chebulagic acid from immature seeds of T. chebula significantly
suppressed the onset and progression of collagen induced arthritis
in mice. T. chebula in a polyherbal formulation (Aller-7)
exhibited a dose dependent anti-inflammatory effect against
Freund’s adjuvant induced arthritis in rats. (Bag A. et al., 2013)
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Adaptogenic and antianaphylactic activity
T. chebula fruit was one of the six Ayurvedic herbs administered
to animals to test their adaptogenic potential. All six traditional
rasayana plants were able to aid the animals against a variety of
different stressors working in different ways. Besides, animal
studies show that when extract of T. chebula was administered
following induction of anaphylactic shock, the serum histamine
levels were reduced, indicating its strong antianaphylactic action.
Water soluble fraction of T. chebula had a significant increasing
effect on anti-dinitrophenyl IgE-induced tumor necrosis factor-
alpha production from rat peritoneal mast cells indicating its
strong antianaphylactic action. (Bag A. et al., 2013)
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Hypolipidemic and hypocholesterolemia activity
Hypolipidemic activity of T. chebula extract against
experimentally induced athersclerosis have been documented. It
also possessed hypocholesterelomic activity against cholesterol-
induced hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerosis in rabbits. (Bag
A. et al., 2013)
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Gastrointestinal motility improving and anti-ulcerogenic activity
Although its traditional use as laxative is well established, T.
chebula fruit has been shown to increase gastric emptying time.
This action appeared to be balanced with a protective effect on
the gastrointestinal mucosa, with the improvement in the
secretory status of Brunner’s gland involved in the protection
against duodenal ulcer. (Bag A. et al., 2013)
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Antispasmodic activity
One of the numerous studies of T. chebula demonstrated its ‘anti-
vata’ or ‘anti-spasmodic’ properties by the reduction of abnormal
blood pressure as well as intestinal spasms. This confirm its
traditional usefulness for spastic colon and other intestinal
disorders. (Bag A. et al., 2013)
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Anticaries activity
The aqueous extract of T. chebula strongly inhibited the growth,
sucrose induced adherence and glucan induced aggregation of
Streptococcus mutans. Mouth rinsing with a 10% solution of the
extract inhibited the salivary bacterial count and glycolysis of
salivary bacteria for upto 90 min post rinsing. (Bag A. et al.,
2013)
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Wound healing activity
Topical administration of an alcoholic extract of T. chebula
leaves on the healing of rat dermal wounds showed that T.
chebula treated wounds healed faster as indicated by improved
rates of contraction and decreased period of epithelialization.
(Bag A. et al., 2013)
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Purgative property
Purgative action of an oil fraction from T. chebula has been
documented. (Bag A. et al., 2013)
Immunomodulatory activity
Aqueous extract of T. chebula produced an increase in humoral
antibody titer and delayed type hypersensitivity in mice. Crude
extract of T. chebula stimulated cellmediated immune response in
experimental amoebic liver abscess in golden hamsters. (Bag A.
et al., 2013)
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Antiallergic activity
Aller-7, a polyherbal formulation of seven medicinal plants
including T. chebula exhibited potent in vitro antiallergic activity
in isolated guineapig ileum substrate. (Bag A. et al., 2013)
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Chebulagic,
Chebulinic acid,
Corilagin,
Tannins,
Anthraquinones,
Polyphenyl compounds,
Arachidic, Bebenic, Linoleic, Oleic, Palmitic and Stearic acid
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Chebulagic acid anthraquinone
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Corilagin chebulinic acid
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Ayurvedic preparations:
T. chebula is an important ingredient of Triphala churna.
It is also a major components of various herbal preparations.
e.g. Abhaya modak, Amrita haritaki, Haritaki khand, Dashmula
haritaki, etc.
Unani preparations:
Habb-ekabid Naushadri, Habb-e-Muqil, Majoon-e-Halela etc.
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URL-1:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terminalia_chebula
(Accessed on July 18, 2018)
URL-2:
https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Chebulagic
(Accessed on June 2, 2018)
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