Terminalia bellirica (Gaertn.) Roxb.

Terminalia bellirica (Gaertn.) Roxb. (Family: Combretaceae) is a deciduous tree distributed in the tropical region of Nepal, India, Sri Lanka, Burma, and Southwest China. T. bellirica commonly known as Bastard myrobalan, Belleric myrobalan is an important medicinal plant and its fruit is used widely in the various traditional systems of medicine. Ripe or unripe fruits are used in different forms for the treatment of various diseases. Phytochemicals like tannins, lignans, glucosides, triterpene acids, and carbohydrates are present in the fruit which are responsible for the health benefits and bioactivity. Several studies on fruit extracts have reported a wide range of pharmacological activities like antioxidant, antidiabetic, antilipidemic, antihypertensive, anticancer, hepatoprotective, and analgesics. T. bellirica is one of three major components of Triphala, an Ayurvedic preparation used in the treatment of different kinds of diseases. This chapter aims to give an overview of the traditional uses, phytochemistry, nutritional attributes, and pharmacological activities of T. bellirica and focuses on the exploration of the future potential of the plant.