European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

PHYTOCHEMICAL AND PHARMACOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF TRIPHALA: A REVIEW

Gull Mohd Mir* and Bilal Ahmad Dar

ABSTRACT

Triphala a polyherbal formulation is well known from Ayurveda. It is a Rasayana Drug used in Indian System of Medicine (ISM).[1] A mixture of three fruits which is composed of dried fruits of Emblica officinalis Gaertn (Euphorbiaceae), Terminalia bellerica Linn (Combertaceae) and Terminalia chebula (Combertaceae) with equal proportions of (1:1:1) as described in Ayurvedic Formulary of India.[2] Triphala is one of the best Ayurvedic curative herbal formulations prescribed by most health care practitioners. It is moderate for people of all ages from children to seniors.[3] In Ayurvedic system Triphala is termed as a tridoshic rasayana and to have balancing and rejuvenating effects on the three constitutional elements that govern human life (Vata, Pitta and Kapha).[4-5] Infectious or communicable diseases are the leading cause of death worldwide and the numbers of deaths from these infectious diseases are increasing day by day. Among all of infectious disorders pneumonia, diarrhoea, tuberculosis and malaria have been the leading causes of death.[6] According to recent literature 50,000 men, women and children are dying every day due to these diseases.[7] This translates into approximately 50,000 preventable deaths per day.[8] If present trends continue, 4·4 million people will die upto 2030 with these infectious diseases. Microbes that cause illness are also known as pathogens. The most common pathogens are bacteria and viruses, though a number of other microorganisms, including some kinds of fungi and protozoa, also cause disease. An infectious disease is termed communicable if it is easily transmitted from one person to another. There is also strong evidence that microbes may contribute to many non-infectious chronic diseases such as some forms of cancer and coronary heart disease.[9] In the human host, a microorganisms causes disease by either disrupting a vital body process or stimulating the immune system to mount a defensive reaction. An immune response against a pathogen, which can include high fever, inflammation and other damaging symptoms, may be more destructive than the direct damage caused by the microorganism.[10]

Keywords: Infectious disorders, pneumonia, diarrhoea, tuberculosis and malaria.