Triphala is a triherbal ayurvedic medicine
Triphala is considered a polyherbal medicine, meaning it consists of several ( three)different medicinal herbs.
Polyherbal formulations are popularly used in Ayurvedic medicine, a traditional system that emphasizes disease prevention and health promotion.
It’s believed that combining synergistic herbs results in extra therapeutic effectiveness and is a more powerful treatment than any one component taken alone.
Triphala is a mixture of the dried fruits these three plants native to India.
Triphala ("three fruits") is an Ayurvedic herbal rasayana formula consisting of equal parts of three myrobalans, taken without seed:
(1) Amalaki (Phyllanthus emblica),
(2) Bibhitaki (Terminalia bellirica), and
(3) Haritaki (Terminalia chebula).
The 3 herbal ingredients in Triphala:
Triphala is made of three herbal ingredients
-Amla (Indian Gooseberry or Emblica Officinalis),
Behada (Bibhitaki or Terminalia Bellirica)
and Harada (Haritaki or Terminalia Chebula).
This Ayurvedic formulation acts as a tonic and laxative as well.
One method for making Triphala churna is by taking an equal quantity that is 1:1:1 of Amla (150 gms), Harad (150 gms), and Baheda (150 gms). Dry the ingredients in the shade for a week or until well dried. You may even dry roast it. Grind it together and sift through a sieve to get a fine exposure to sunlight may destroy vitamin C.
(1) Amla:
(Emblica officinalis), commonly known as Indian gooseberry or amla, family Euphorbiaceae, is an important herbal drug used in unani and ayurvedic systems of medicine. The plant is used both as a medicine and as a tonic to build up lost vitality and vigor.
Beyond its antioxidant activity, the polyphenol content, especially tannins, a key group of phenolic compounds found in amla fruits, further contributes to amalaki's effectiveness in supporting a healthy digestive tract and the body's natural cleansing process.
Amla is the richest known natural source of Vitamin C, which is known to have excellent immunity boosting and antioxidant properties. Consuming vitamin C containing herb regularly is associated with better performance of macrophages and other cells of the immune system.
Emblica helps protect the skin from the damaging effects of free radicals, non-radicals and transition metal-induced oxidative stress. Emblica is suitable for use in anti-aging, sunscreen and general purpose skin care products.
Various studies show that Amla possesses anti-diabetic, hypolipedemic, anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, hepatoprotective and anti-emetic activities. The drug is used as single and as ingredient in various compound formulations like Chyavanaprasa, Dhatriloha, Dhatryarishta, Amalaki Rasayana,etc.
Emblica Officinalis (Gatertn), commonly called amla, has traditionally been used for different medicinal purposes including: rheumatic pains, gonorrhea, asthma, hemorrhage, jaundice, dyspepsia, nausea, constipation, diarrhea, eye disease, brain health, intestinal ailments, diabetes mellitus, coronary heart diseases,
All parts of the plant are used for medicinal purposes, especially the fruit, which has been used in Ayurveda as a potent rasayana and in traditional medicine for the treatment of diarrhea, jaundice, and inflammation.
(2) Baheda:
Behada (Terminalia bellirica) is found throughout the Indian subcontinent, including Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Southeast Asia. In India, it is commonly known as “Bahera” in Hindi, “Beleric Myrobalan” and “Bibhitaki” in English and Sanskrit, respectively.
Terminalia bellirica, known as baheda, bahera, behada, beleric or bastard myrobalan (Sanskrit: Vibhītaka बिभीतक, Aksha अक्स) is a large deciduous tree in the Combretaceae family. It is common on the plains and lower hills in South and Southeast Asia, where it is also grown as an avenue tree. The basionym is Myrobalanus bellirica( Gaertn). William Roxburgh transferred M. bellirica to Terminalia as "T. bellerica (Gaertn.) Roxb.". The correct name is Terminalia bellirica (Gaertn.) Roxb.
In traditional Indian Ayurvedic medicine, Beleric is known as "Bibhitaki" ( In Gujarati and Marathi: "Behada"). Its fruit is used in the popular Indian herbal rasayana treatment triphala. In Sanskrit it is called bibhītaka बिभीतक.
In India, Neemuch; a town in Malwa Region of Madhya Pradesh is a major trading centre of skinless baheda and entire fruits of T. bellirica. The fruits are widely collected in the wild in the Malwa region of Madhya Pradesh.
In the "Charaka Samhita", the ancient Ayurvedic text, Bibhitaki fruits are mentioned as having qualities to alleviate disease, and bestow longevity, intellectual prowess and strength. There are several "rasaayan" described in the Charaka Samhita, that use Bibhitaki.
Amalaka Rasaayan, which includes Bibhitaki that is Baheda as one of the three fruits.
By this treatment, the sages regained youthfulness and attained disease-free life of many hundred years, and endowed with the strength of physique, intellect and senses, practiced penance with utmost devotion.
(3)Harad:
Harad( Terminalia chebula) is a main ingredient in the Ayurvedic formulation Triphala.
Harad (Haritaki), scientifically known as Terminalia chebula, is an ayurvedic herb belonging to the Combretaceae family.
Harad has many potential uses due to a variety of compounds.
Terminalia chebula, commonly known as black- or chebulic myrobalan, is a species of Terminalia, native to South Asia from India and Nepal east to southwest China (Yunnan), and south to Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and Vietnam.
The fruit is drupe-like, 2–4.5 cm long and 1.2–2.5 cm broad, blackish, with five longitudinal ridges.The fruits are smooth ellipsoid to ovoid drupes, yellow to orange-brown in colour, with a single angled stone.
Chemical composition of Harad:
A number of glycosides have been isolated from haritaki, including the triterpenes arjunglucoside I, arjungenin, and the chebulosides I and II. Other constituents include a coumarin conjugated with gallic acids called chebulin, as well as other phenolic compounds including ellagic acid, 2,4-chebulyl-β-D-glucopyranose, chebulinic acid, gallic acid, ethyl gallate, punicalagin, terflavin A, terchebin, luteolin, and tannic acid.Chebulic acid is a phenolic acid compound isolated from the ripe fruits.Luteic acid can be isolated from the bark.
Terminalia chebula also contains terflavin B, a type of tannin, while chebulinic acid is found in the fruits.
The Health Benefits of Harad:
Harad may show heart-protective, liver protective, anti-bacterial, antifungal, and anti-viral properties. In addition, it may benefit health conditions like cancer, diabetes, inflammation, and stomach disorders.
The main health benefits of Harad are as listed below:
•Helps Prevent Diabetes.
•Helps in Digestion.
•Improves Sexual Health.
•Enhances Cognitive Functioning.
•Heals Infection and Wounds.
•Aids in Weight Loss.
•Prevents Hair Loss.
•Boosts Immunity.
Information compiled by:
Dr. Bhairavsinh Raol
