Haritaki Fruit

Haritaki is a Sanskrit name for the plant ‘Terminalia Chebula’. It is a herbaceous, evergreen tree found it the south Asian countries like India, Malaysia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, South-western China etc. This tree can grow up to 30 m tall. The leaves are oval and can be up to 18 cm in length.

Characteristics of the fruit

The fruit has five lengthwise ridges and is drupe-like in shape.  The nut type fruits are picked while they are still unripe and green. The seed of haritaki fruit is oval in shape and abrasive in nature. It is covered by a firm and fleshy pulp.

General uses of haritaki

The haritaki fruit can be pickled when still unripe. It can be candied by boiling the fruit in sugar syrup. It is also used in fruit preserves and medicinal concoctions. The seed of this fruit is used in the preparation for ayurvedic medicine. It is believed to have the ability to cure blindness and stop the growth of malignant tumors. It has wonderful astringent properties and can be used to cure bleeding gums and mouth ulcers. It also has antiseptic and antibacterial properties and can be used in bath water. It is also known to cure dandruff due to its antifungal properties.

Topical uses of haritaki

The powdered form of haritaki can be utilized for various topical applications as well. A paste of this herb made with small quantities of distilled water is known to have anti-inflammatory as well as some form of analgesic effect when applied to wounds. This paste is used for its ability to purify and heal wounds. A decoction of haritaki with a few other herbs is also used as surgical dressing lotion to speed up the healing process of wounds.

Haritaki is known for its astringent properties too. It is thus used to treat hemorrhoids as well. The haritaki decoction is also used to treat oral ulcers and ulcers of the gums. It is an effective mouth wash and gargle and is believed to cure sore throats. It is also known to heal bleeding gums and loose gums because of its astringent elements.

Haritaki powder, together with catechu and a few other herbs is used to treat chronic ulcers, severe skin diseases with discharge and ulcerated wounds when used in paste form mixed with some portion of clarified butter or bland oils.

Use of haritaki for abdominal disorders

Ingestion of haritaki in powder for paste form is known to increase a person’s appetite. It is also used to aid digestion. Research shows that this herb has gastrokinetic effect and increases the speed with which food is digested. It is thus used after major surgeries along with other useful drugs to accelerate gastric mobility similar to the effect of antihistamines. 

It can be used to relieve cases of constipation caused due to various reasons, because of its mild laxative properties. It is known as a mild ayurvedic colon cleanser.

Haritaki is also known as a liver stimulant. It helps to protect the liver by aiding the excretion of waste from the intestinal tract. It is also known to relieve the conditions of excessive gas and flatulence. Chebulagic acid, a compound found in haritaki, is also believed to have antispasmodic properties and can be used to relieve stomach cramps.

Other medicinal uses

Haritaki is believed to be a good nervine. It enhances the five senses. It is known to cure nervous irritability and aggression because of its calming properties. This herb is also used as an adjuvant for hemorrhages. It is used to treat edema and other types of inflammations.

Herbal formulations of haritaki are known to cure chronic dry chough, asthma and wheezing. It is one of the best herbs for keeping the kidneys in shape. It is also known to enhance the ability for urine retention and can be used to treat bed wetting. It is excellent to treat skin disorders as well as allergies. Haritaki is also used to treat chronic fever.

One of the other interesting effects of this herb is that it helps emaciated people gain weight and on the other hand it helps obese people lose weight.

Haritaki and modern science

Modern science is aware of the benefits of haritaki and is researching the use of this herb in the field of alternative medicine and allopathy. It is well known that haritaki has anti bacterial and anti-oxidant properties. Modern research shows that this herb builds resistance to bacteria like E-coli etc. It is also known to help prevent the spread of contagious diseases like pyorrhea, chronic ulcers and skin diseases.

The herbal preparation is also known to battle the herpes simplex virus or HSV. Studies show evidence that haritaki can prevent the growth of tumors as well. Moreover, this herb is now believed to minimize and slow down the effect of the HIV Aids virus as well, for which no known cure has been found till date.