T. c. var. chebula – leaves and shoots hairless, or only hairy when very young
T. c. var. tomentella – leaves and shoots silvery to orange hairy
Description
Terminalia chebula is a medium to large deciduoustree growing to 30 m (98 ft) tall, with a trunk up to 1 m (3 ft 3 in) in diameter. The leaves are alternate to subopposite in arrangement, oval, 7–8 cm (2.8–3.1 in) long and 4.5–10 cm (1.8–3.9 in) broad with a 1–3 cm (0.39–1.18 in) petiole.[4] They have an acute tip, cordate at the base, margins entire, glabrous above with a yellowish pubescence below.[citation needed] The dull white to yellow flowers are monoecious, and have a strong, unpleasant odour. They are borne in terminal spikes or short panicles. The fruit is drupe-like, smooth ellipsoid to ovoid, 2–4.5 cm (0.79–1.77 in) long and 1.2–2.5 cm (0.47–0.98 in) broad, blackish, with five longitudinal ridges.[4] They are yellow to orange-brown in colour, with a single angled stone.[5]
Distribution and habitat
Terminalia chebula Is found throughout southern and southeast Asia including in India, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan and Thailand. In China, it is native in western Yunnan and cultivated in Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi (Nanning), and Taiwan (Nantou).[6][7]
In India, it is found in the sub Himalayan region from Ravi, eastwards to western Bengal and Assam, ascending up to the altitude of 1,500 m (4,900 ft) in the Himalayas. This tree is wild in forests of northern India, central provinces and Bengal, common in Madras, Mysore and in the southern part of the Bombay presidency.[8]
Its habitat includes dry slopes up to 900 m (3,000 ft) in elevation.[9]
Cultivation and uses
This tree yields smallish, ribbed and nut-like fruits which are picked when still green and then pickled, boiled with a little added sugar in their own syrup or used in preserves. The seed of the fruit, which has an elliptical shape, is an abrasive seed enveloped by a fleshy and firm pulp. Seven types of fruit are recognized (vijaya, rohini, putana, amrita, abhaya, jivanti, and chetaki), based on the region where the fruit is harvested, as well as the colour and shape of the fruit. Generally speaking, the vijaya variety is preferred, which is traditionally grown in the Vindhya Range of west-central India, and has a roundish as opposed to a more angular shape.[9] The fruit also provides material for tanning leather and dyeing cloth.[7]
Terminalia chebula (called Haritaki[5]) is a main ingredient in the Ayurvedic formulation of triphala.[10]
^Saleem, A.; Husheem, M.; Härkönen, P.; Pihlaja, K. (2002). "Inhibition of cancer cell growth by crude extract and the phenolics of Terminalia chebula retz. Fruit". Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 81 (3): 327–336. doi:10.1016/S0378-8741(02)00099-5. PMID12127233.
^Lee, H. S.; Jung, S. H.; Yun, B. S.; Lee, K. W. (2007). "Isolation of chebulic acid from Terminalia chebula Retz. And its antioxidant effect in isolated rat hepatocytes". Archives of Toxicology. 81 (3): 211–218. doi:10.1007/s00204-006-0139-4. PMID16932919. S2CID25751621.
^Lee, H. S.; Koo, Y. C.; Suh, H. J.; Kim, K. Y.; Lee, K. W. (2010). "Preventive effects of chebulic acid isolated from Terminalia chebula on advanced glycation endproduct-induced endothelial cell dysfunction". Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 131 (3): 567–574. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2010.07.039. PMID20659546.
^Prathibha, S.; Jenitta, E.P.E.; Rama Bhat, P.; Jayadev, K.; Shetty, Shrinidhi (2015). "Green synthesis of silver nanoparticles from fruit extracts of Terminalia chebula Retz. and their antibacterial activity". International Journal of Research in Biosciences. 4 (2): 29-35.