Multidimensional Medicinal Potential Of Terminalia Chebula Retz.: From Folklore To Pharmacology — A Comprehensive Review

Abstract

Introduction: Terminalia chebula Retz. (Family: Combretaceae), canonised as Harītakī in Ayurveda and described as the 'king of medicines' in Caraka Saṁhitā and Suśruta Saṁhitā, occupies a preeminent position in classical and folk medicine across the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. Despite its extensive use across Ayurvedic, Siddha, Unani, and Tibetan systems, a unified review integrating tribal ethnomedicinal knowledge with contemporary pharmacological validation has not been systematically presented.

Methods: Ethnobotanical data were systematically compiled from 5 standard ethnobotany reference books and 21 peer-reviewed ethno-medicine research articles covering tribal communities across 12 Indian states and 2 neighbouring countries (Bangladesh). Data were categorised by local name, tribal community, geographic area, plant part, dosage form, route of administration, and therapeutic indication. Pharmacological evidence was collated from published in vitro, in vivo (animal), and clinical studies retrieved from PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar. Phytochemical data were compiled from authenticated pharmacological and botanical sources. Classical Ayurvedic descriptions were sourced from primary texts.

Results: Ethnobotanical analysis documented 35 distinct therapeutic applications across 12 Indian states and Bangladesh, spanning 27 internal, 6 external, and 1 combined route of administration. Principal therapeutic domains included gastrointestinal disorders (constipation, dysentery, haemorrhoids), respiratory ailments (asthma, cough, bronchitis), metabolic conditions (diabetes, jaundice), and dermatological/wound healing applications. Phytochemical investigations identified hydrolysable tannins — chebulagic acid, chebulinic acid, gallic acid, ellagic acid (comprising 32–50% dry weight of fruit) — as dominant bioactives, alongside triterpenoids, flavonoids, anthraquinones, sterols, and volatile oils. Pharmacological evidence established 12 major activity domains: antimicrobial (including anti-HIV, anti-HSV), antioxidant (DPPH IC50 5–15 µg/mL), anti-inflammatory (COX-1/COX-2 inhibition; NF-κB suppression), hepatoprotective, cardioprotective, antidiabetic (alpha-glucosidase inhibition), anticancer (apoptosis induction in MCF-7, HeLa, A549, HepG2, HL-60 cell lines; VEGF-mediated anti-angiogenic activity), neuroprotective, nephroprotective, wound-healing, immunomodulatory, and adaptogenic/Rasayana. Clinical evidence supports Triphalā use in constipation, IBS, dental hygiene, diabetes management, and cataract prophylaxis.

Discussion and Conclusion: The consistency of ethnomedicinal application across geographically and linguistically diverse tribal communities constitutes a robust cross-validated traditional evidence base, with pharmacological mechanisms now elucidated for virtually every major claim. The anticancer, hepatoprotective, and immunomodulatory properties are of particular significance for integrative oncology. Priority research gaps include large-scale randomised clinical trials for anticancer supportive care and antidiabetic applications, chemotypic characterisation of the seven Ayurvedic varieties, and human pharmacokinetic profiling of key bioactives. Novel drug delivery systems — PLGA nanoparticles, liposomes, SLN, and nanoemulsions — offer pathways to enhanced bioavailability and organ-targeted delivery. T. chebula exemplifies the potential of the

traditional pharmacopoeia as a systematic source for evidence-based drug discovery..