Botanical Name : Terminalia chebula

Common Name :
Harithaki (Sanskrit and Bengali), Harad (Hindi),
Karkchettu (Telugu), Kadukkaya (Tamil),
Harade (Marathi and Gujarati).

Family : Combretaceae
Kingdom: Plantae

Action :

Terminalia chebula is mild laxative, stomachic, tonic, alterative, adaptogen, hepatoprotective, febrifuge, antispasmodic, expectorant, anti-asthmatic, antiviral and hypoglycaemic. It is useful in ophthalmia, hemorrhoids, dental caries, bleeding gums, ulcerated oral cavity and in many other diseases. Its paste with water is found to be anti-inflammatory, analgesic and having purifiying and healing capacity for wounds. Its decoction as a lotion is surgical dressing for healing the wound earlier.
Equal parts of three myrobalans and catechu are made in a paste with clarified butter or some bland oil work as an ointment in chronic ulcerations, ulcerated wounds and other skin diseases with discharge. These ointments could be a substitute for Gall ointments used in Britain.

These are used for astringent purpose in hemorrhoids as well. Its decoction is used as gargle in oral ulcers, sore throat. Its powder is a good astringent dentrifice in loose gums, bleeding and ulceration in gums.

Chemical Composition :

Fruits are mainly contain astringent substances - tannic acid, Chebulinic acid, gallic acid etc. Resin and a purgative principle of the nature of anthraquinone and sennoside are also present.

Uses :

Terminalia Chebula is used for
- Abdominal Disorders:

- It is good to increase the appetite, as digestive aid, Liver stimulant, as stomachic, as gastrointestinal prokinetic agent, and mild laxative.

- Haritaki has proven gastrokinetic effect i.e. it helps in moving the contents of stomach earlier. So it can be used after surgeries and as adjuvant with other drugs that interfere with gastric motility as antihistaminics, atropine like drugs.

- Base on its comprehensive properties, it promotes appetite and helps in digestion.

- It stimulates the liver and protects it further by expelling the waste excretory products from the intestines.

- The powder of Haritaki has been used in chronic diarrhea, sprue with good results. It should be used as hot infusion in these disorders. It is indicated in Protracted diarrhea with hematochezia and prolapse of rectum.

- For persons with excessive gas in intestine, flatulence, it is a good herb that can be taken daily. it will relieve these conditions smoothly.

- One compound Chebulagic acid from Haritaki has shown antispasmodic action like that of Papaverine.

- Being a mild laxative, it is a mild herbal colon cleanse. With its other properties, it provides some help in conditions with Liver and Spleen enlargement and in Ascites. It is not a strong purgative like other herbs as Senna. It does the cleansing action very smoothly. Further it can be taken for a long time without any ill effects.

- It is a good nervine. It is used in nervous weakness, nervous irritability. It promotes the receiving power of the five senses.

- It is adjuvant in hemorrhages due to its astringent nature. It helps in edema and various inflammations.

- It is good for Chronic cough, coryza, sorethroat and asthma. It is used with other herbs in many holistic herbal formulations in Ayurveda.

- Being anti-inflammatory, and astringent, it is useful in urethral discharges like spermatorrhea, vaginal discharges like leucorrhea. It can be given as adjuvant in atonic conditions of Uterus.
- It is helpful in Renal calculi, dysurea, and retention of urine.

- It is useful in skin disorders with discharges like allergies, urticaria and other erythematous disorders.

- It is given as adjuvant herb in Chronic fever. On long term use it is helpful in gaining weight in the emaciated persons and in losing weight in obese persons.


Clinical Observation :

- Haritaki can serve to act as an effective alternative to modern prokinetic drugs like metaclopramide.
- anti-bacterial and antioxidant properties
- Some preliminary evidence of its capability to be useful in HSV Herpes simplex virus.
- Some anti-tumor activity and effect in inhibiting the HIV virus.
- Anthraquinone and Sennoside like purgative activity. Ability to evacuate the bowel.
- Wide antibacterial and antifungal activity, esp. against E. coli.

Emblica officinalis

Botanical Name: Phyllanthus emblica
Synonyms : Emblica officinalis
Common Name: Amlaki
Plant Family: Phyllanthaceae
Kingdom : Plantae

General Information
Amla is one of the most celebrated herbs in the Indian traditional medicine system, Ayurveda. Amla's traditional uses include as a laxative, eye wash, appetite stimulant, restorative tonic, and to treat anorexia, indigestion, diarrhea, anemia, and jaundice. Amla is becoming increasingly well known for its unusually high levels of Vitamin C, which is resistant to storage and heat damage due to cooking.

History
It is found natively in India. Indian gooseberry has been used as valuable ingredient of various medicines in India and abroad.

Different Name
The Indian gooseberry (Phyllanthus emblica, syn. Emblica officinalis) is a deciduous tree of the Euphorbiaceae family. It is known for its edible fruit of the same name.
Amlaki’s Indian name is – Indian Goosebery
Amlaki’s Guzrai name is – Aamla
Amlaki’s Marathi name is – Aavalaa
Amlaki’s Hindi name is – Amla
Amlaki’s Malayalam name is – Nellikkai
Amlaki’s Nepali name is - Amala

Uses of Parts
In traditional Indian medicine dried and fresh fruits of the plant are used. All parts of the plant are used in various herbal preparations (Ayurvedic /Unani Medicine ) including the fruit, seed, leaves, root, bark and flowers.

Culinary use
Particularly in South India, the fruit is pickeld with salt, oil, and spices. Amla is eaten raw or cooked into various dishes. In Andrha prodes tender varieties of amla are used to prepare dal (a lentil preparation), also amle ka murabbah a sweet dish indigenous to the northern part of India (where in the berries are soaked in sugar syrup for a long time till they are imparted the sweet flavor) is traditionally consumed after meals.

Religious use
Amla is regarded as a sacred tree attributed to Lakshmi in Hinduism

Other uses
Popularly used in inks, shampoos and hair oils, the high tannin content of Indian gooseberry fruit serves as a mordant for fixing dyes in fabrics. Amla shampoos and hair oil are traditionally believed to nourish the hair and scalp and prevent premature grey hair.

Chemical composition
Amla is highly nutritious and is an important dietary source of Vitamin C, minerals and amino acids. The edible fruit tissue contains protein concentration 3-fold and ascorbic acid concentration 160-fold compared to that of the apple. The fruit also contains considerably higher concentration of most minerals and amino acids than apples. Glutamic acid, proline, aspartic acid, alanine, and lysine are 29.6%, 14.6%, 8.1%, 5.4% and 5.3% respectively of the total amino acids. The pulpy portion of fruit, dried and freed from the nuts contains: gallic acid 1.32%, tannin, sugar 36.10%; gum 13.75%; albumin 13.08%; crude cellulose 17.08%; mineral matter 4.12% and moisture 3.83%. Amla fruit ash contains chromium, 2.5 ppm; zinc 4 ppm; and copper, 3 ppm.

Pharmacology

Emblica officinalis is effective in the treatment of amlapitta [peptic ulcer] and in dyspepsia. The fruits exhibit hypolipiadaemic and antiatherosclerotic effects in rabbits & rats. The fruit extract has antimutagenic activity on certain directly acting mutagens in some strains of Salmonella typhimurium.The extract of amla also has antimicrobial properties. Amlaki is an antioxidant with free radical scavenging properties which may be due to the presence of high levels of super oxide dismutase.

Important Medicinal Uses

Indian Gooseberry or Amla is used for

1. all Pitta diseases,
2. all obstinate urinary conditions,
3. anemia,
4. biliousness,
5. bleeding,
6. colitis,
7. constipation,
8. onvalescence from fever,
9. cough,
10. diabetes,
11. gastritis,
12. gout,
13. hepatitis,
14. hemorrhoids,
15. liver weakness,
16. to relieve stress ,
17. osteoporosis,
18. palpitation,
19. spleen weakness,
20. tissue deficiency,
21. vertigo rebuilds blood,
22. bones,
23. cells, and tissues.

It increases red blood cell count and regulates blood sugar; heart tonic, cleanses mouth, stops gum bleeding, stops stomach and colon inflammation; cleanses intestines, strengthens teeth, aids eyesight, worms, acidity, eye and lung inflammations, ulcerations, G.I. disorders, painful urination, and internal bleeding.

Ref : Emblica officinalis Encyclopedia

Aloe vera

Botanical Name : Aloe vera
Kingdom - Plantae
Order - Asparagales
Family - Asphodelaceae
Genus - Aloe
Species - Aloe vera

Different Name as per Country :
In India, Aloe vera is known as Ghrtakumari.
In Pakistan, Aloe vera is known as Quargandal.
In South America, Aloe vera is known as Sabila.
In Thailand, Aloe vera is known as Crocodile Tail.
In Kerala, Aloe vera is known as Kattar vazha.

Historical uses :
Aloin was the common ingredient in OTC laxative products in the United States prior to 2003, when the FDA ruled that aloin was a class III ingredient, therefore banning its use. It should be noted that processed aloe that contains aloin is used primarily as a laxative, whereas processed Aloe vera juice that does not contain significant amounts of aloin is used as a digestive healer. Manufacturers commonly remove aloin in processing due to the FDA ruling.
Culinary uses :
Aloe is also used as a foodstuff. Some molecular gastronomists have begun to take advantage of its gelling properties. Perhaps most notably among these is Chef Quique Dacosta's "Oysters Guggenheim," created at El Poblet in Spain.
Biologically active compounds
Aloe vera leaves contain a range of biologically active compounds. The best studied being acetylated mannans, polymannans, C-glycosides, anthrones and anthroquinones and various lectins.

Medicinal uses
Scientific evidence for the cosmetic and therapeutic effectiveness of Aloe vera is limited and when present is typically contradictory. Despite this, the cosmetic and alternative medicine industries regularly make claims regarding the soothing, moisturising and healing properties of Aloe vera, especially via Internet advertising. Aloe vera gel is used as an ingredient in commercially available lotion, yogurt, beverages and some desserts. Aloe vera juice is used for consumption and relief of digestive issues such as heartburn and irritable bowel syndrome. It is common practice for cosmetic companies to add sap or other derivatives from Aloe vera to products such as makeup, tissues, moisturizers, soaps, sunscreens, incense, razors and shampoos. Other uses for extracts of Aloe vera include the dilution of semen for the artificial fertilization of sheep, use as fresh food preservative, and use in water conservation in small farms.
A more recent review (2007) concludes that the cumulative evidence supports the use of Aloe vera for the healing of first to second degree burns. In addition to topical use in wound or burn healing, internal intake of Aloe vera has been linked with improved blood glucose levels in diabetics, and with lower blood lipids in hyperlipidaemic patients, but also with acute hepatitis (liver disease). In other diseases, preliminary studies have suggested oral Aloe vera gel may reduce symptoms and inflammation in patients with ulcerative colitis. Compounds extracted from Aloe vera have been used as an immune stimulant that aids in fighting cancers in cats and dogs; however, this treatment has not been scientifically tested in humans. The injection of Aloe vera extracts to treat cancer has resulted in the deaths of several patients.
Topical application of Aloe vera may be effective for genital herpes and psoriasis. However, it is not effective for the prevention of radiation-induced injuries. Although anecdotally useful, it has not been proven to offer protection from sunburn or suntan. In a double-blind clinical trial the group using an Aloe vera containing dentifrice and the group using a fluoridated dentifrice both demonstrated a statistically significant reduction of gingivitis and plaque.
Aloe vera extracts have antibacterial and antifungal activities. Aloe vera extracts have been shown to inhibit the growth of fungi that cause tinea, however, evidence for control beneath human skin remains to be established. For its anti-fungal properties, Aloe vera is used as a fish tank water conditioner. For bacteria, inner-leaf gel from Aloe vera was shown to inhibit growth of Streptococcus and Shigella species in vitro. In contrast, Aloe vera extracts failed to show antibiotic properties against Xanthomonas species.