Terminalia chebula Retz.

Terminalia chebula Retz. (Family: Combretaceae) is one of the valuable medicinal plants commonly known as Chebulic myrobalan, Yellow myrobalan, Haritaki, or Harro. It is a medium sized deciduous tree that occurs in tropical and subtropical zones at 300 to 1980 m latitude. It is indigenous to South Asian countries including Nepal, India, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, the South-West part of China, and Vietnam. It is extensively used in different systems of medicine including Ayurveda, Unani, Amchi, Tibetan medicine, and Homeopathic medicine. The edible and healthy wild fruit of this plant is regarded as the “mother of medicines” in Ayurveda, and the “king or best of medicine” in Bhutan and Tibetan. This fruit has magical healing power due to the presence of highly potent phytochemicals like flavonoids, terpenoids, polyphenols, alkaloids, lignans, and anthocyanins. From time immemorial this fruit is traditionally used to cure many diseases and ailments. Fruits contain several bioactive compounds like ascorbic acid, caffeic acid, casuarinin, chebulagic acid, chebulic acid, chebulanin, chebumeinin A and B, corilagin, ellagic acid, ferulic acid, gallic acid, neochebulinic acid, punicalagin, punicalin, quercetin, rutin, terchebulin, terflavin A, vanillic acid, and many other fatty acids, amino acids and essential minerals. Several in vitro and in vivo experiments proved that the extracts or isolated compounds possess remarkable and promising pharmacological activities like antiallergic, antiarthritic, anticancer, anticaries, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antioxidant, antiprotozoal, cardioprotective, hepatoprotective, immunostimulant, and wound healing properties. The main aim of this book chapter is to provide the reported scientific information regarding the ethnomedicinal uses, bioactive phytochemicals, and the pharmacological activities of T. chebula fruit extracts and isolated compounds. The chapter also provides insights on distribution, cultivation, formulations, traditional uses, market value, and trade prospects along with the safety profile and clinical data of fruits of T. chebula.