A voice for
herbal medicine

We share traditional, scientific and practical insights written by experienced herbalists and health experts from the world of herbal medicine and natural health

Haritaki is considered to be the best herb for the digestive system

Back to herbs

Haritaki

Terminalia chebula Combretaceae

Haritaki is described as the ‘remover of diseases’. Hara is also the name of Lord Shiva, thus reflecting the sacred nature and exalted position of the plant but it literally means ‘green’ like the fruit. It is also ‘Abhaya’ or ‘fearless’ of any disease. It is said to have originated when a drop of immortal nectar (amrita) fell from heaven to earth.

  • How does it feel?

    Haritaki is native to the Himalayas and Sri Lanka, typically growing at altitudes of up to 1500m. It is a large and deciduous tree that can reach 30m in height and a trunk girth of 2.5m. The bark is characteristically cracked and ‘exfoliating’ in appearance and it produces small yellowish-white flowers that have an unpleasant odour. The fruit is a drupe that grows to approximately 5cm and ranges from yellow to an orange-brown colour and becomes hard to the touch when it is ripe. It is the fruits that are valued medicinally.

  • What can I use it for?

    Haritaki demonstrates antibacterial, antiviral and antiamoebic activity, with a particular affinity for the digestive tract. It effectively targets pathogens within the digestive system and encourages their expulsion from the system. Haritaki contains anthraquinone laxative compounds that will alleviate constipation, but it is also rich in tannins that help to tone the lining of the digestive tract bringing strength to the whole system. Haritaki is an effective astringent to the mucous membranes within the digestion, preventing further damage from prolapses, ulcerations and conditions such as leaky gut.

  • Into the heart of Haritaki

    In Ayurveda, haritaki is considered as one the primary herbs for supporting the health of the digestive system and is part of the famous ‘Triphala’ formula. Haritaki is unique in that it will encourage bowel cleansing motions, whilst also toning and strengthening the digestive mucosa. It is a specific herb for use in the treatment of a wide range of digestive infections, but particularly those caused by the presence of parasites. Haritaki stimulate the digestive metabolism and improves general absorption rate, digestive efficiency and also supports the body’s ability to process lipids such as cholesterol. Haritaki with strengthen, nourish and rejuvenate the entire digestive tract.

    The sennosides (anthraquinone laxatives) present in haritaki treat constipation and the tannins treat diarrhoea. It is salutary in digestive upset or dysentery caused by parasites or infection (Shigella spp), inflammation of mucus membranes, flatulence and borborygmus. It increases the digestive metabolism and clears undigested toxins and residues. Haritaki’s astringency and mucus membrane healing effects can benefit prolapse, ulcers, intestinal permeability and ‘leaky gut syndrome’.

    Haritaki will reduce lipid deposits in the blood and liver.

    Wet, mucous based coughs are cleared with haritaki which astringes all leakages from the body. It sends accumulated congestion downwards and helps to clear wheezing, weak voice and asthma.

    Haritaki has a specific indicationin the treatment of all sorts of eye disorders including inflammation and conjunctivitis.

    Haritaki can be added to a gargle for sore throats. Swill for stomatitis, gingivitis and periodontal disease; with cold water this encourages its astringent nature.

  • Traditional actions

    Astringents

    Astringents contain tannins that act to precipitate proteins and draw tissues together, tightening and toning them to reduce secretions and discharge. Astringents also tend to stop bleeding and can act on tissues with which there is no direct contact. Examples include Raspberry leaf (Rubus ideaus), Lady’s Mantle leaf (Alchemilla vulgaris), Agrimony leaf (Agrimonia eupatoria), Shepherd’s Purse leaf (Capsella bursa-pastoris), Witch Hazel leaf (Hamamelis virginiana) and Yarrow leaf (Achillea millefolium).

    Expectorants

    Expectorants are herbs that assist the body in expelling mucus from the upper respiratory tract. Examples include Licorice root (Glycyrrhiza glabra), Elecampane root (Inula helenium) and Thyme leaf (Thymus vulgaris).

    Laxatives

    Laxative herbs are those that stimulate or promote bowel movements. There are different types of herbs; gentle aperients, like dandelion root (taraxacum officinalis), that have a mild effect; bulk-forming laxatives, like Flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum), that increase the water and bulk of the stool; stimulant laxatives is Senna leaf (Senna alexandria) that invigorate the muscles of the lower bowel to create a stronger motion.

  • Did you know?

    There are 7 types of Haritaki; vijaya, rohini, putana, amrita, abhaya,jivanti and cetaki which grow in different areas of India. Vijaya, growing in the Vindhaya Mountains, is a rounder fruit and is said to be the best. Rohini grows in Northern India (Paithan), Putana grows in Southern Pakistan (Sindhu), Amrita and Abhaya varieties grow in Bhagalpur district in Eastern India in Bihar,Jivanti in Saurashthra in Gujerat and Cetaki in the Himalayas. Images of the Medicine Buddha show him holding Terminalia chebula. This represents the respect and awe that Haritaki was held in for maintaining health and curing disease.

Additional information

  • Safety

    No drug herb interactions are known.

  • Dosage

    3–9g/day in a decoction, 250mg–5g as powder, or 3–12ml/day of a 1:3 in 25% tincture

  • Traditional energetics

    • Rasa (taste) All but salty, mainly astringent, bitter
    • Virya (action) Heating
    • Vipaka (post-digestive effect) Sweet
    • Guna (quality) Light, dry
    • Dosha effect: VPK=
    • Dhatu (tissue) All tissues
    • Srotas (channels) Digestive, excretory, nervous, respiratory
Triphala

Related herbs

Triphala

Bibhitaki

Related conditions

Allergic Reaction

Eye health: An Ayurvedic perspective

Related articles

A history of Ayurveda and the growth of the Materia Medica

An Ayurvedic perspective on arthritis

Aromatic
An ‘aromatic’ remedy, high in volatile essential oils, was most often associated with calming and sometimes ‘warming’ the digestion. Most kitchen spices and herbs have this quality: they were used both as flavouring and to ease the digestion of sometimes challenging pre-industrial foods. Many aromatics are classed as ‘carminatives’ and are used to reduce colic, bloating and agitated digestion. They also often feature in respiratory remedies for colds, chest and other airway infections. They are also classic calming inhalants and massage oils, and are the basis of aromatherapy for their mental benefits.
Astringent taste
The puckering taste you get with many plants (the most familiar is black tea after being stewed too long, or some red wines) is produced by complex polyphenols such as tannins. Tannins are used in concentrated form (eg from oak bark) to make leather from animal skins. The process of ‘tanning’ involves the coagulation of relatively fluid proteins in living tissues into tight clotted fibres (similar to the process of boiling an egg). Tannins in effect turn exposed surfaces on the body into leather. In the case of the lining of mouth and upper digestive tract this is only temporary as new mucosa are replenished, but in the meantime can calm inflamed or irritated surfaces. In the case of open wounds tannins can be a life-saver – when strong (as in the bark of broadleaved trees) they can seal a damaged surface. One group of tannins, the reddish-brown ‘condensed tannins’ are procyanidins, which can reduce inflammation and oxidative damage.
Bitter
Bitters are a very complex group of phytochemicals that stimulate the bitter receptors in the mouth. They were some of the most valuable remedies in ancient medicine. They were experienced as stimulating appetite and switching on a wide range of key digestive functions, including increasing bile clearance from the liver (as bile is a key factor in bowel health this can be translated into improving bowel functions and the microbiome). Many of these reputations are being supported by new research on the role of bitter receptors in the mouth and elsewhere round the body. Bitters were also seen as ‘cooling’ reducing the intensity of some fevers and inflammatory diseases.
Blue-purple colouring
Any fruits with a blue-purple colouring contain high levels of the polyphenols known as anthocyanins. These work 1) on the walls of small blood vessels, helping to maintain capillary structure to reduce a key stage in inflammation, and improving the microcirculation to the tissues; 2) to improve retinal function and vision; 3) to support connective tissue repair around the body.
Cooling
Traditional ‘cold’ or cooling’ remedies often contain bitter phytonutrients such a iridoids (gentian), sesiquterpenes (chamomile), anthraquinones (rhubarb root), mucilages (marshmallow), some alkaloids and flavonoids. They tend to influence the digestive system, liver and kidneys. Cooling herbs do just that; they diffuse, drain and clear heat from areas of inflammation, redness and irritation. Sweet, bitter and astringent herbs tend to be cooling.
Hot
Traditional ‘hot’ or ‘heating’ remedies, often containing spice ingredients like capsaicin, the gingerols (ginger), piperine (black or long pepper), curcumin (turmeric) or the sulfurous isothiocyanates from mustard, horseradich or wasabi, generate warmth when taken. In modern times this might translate as thermogenic and circulatory stimulant effects. There is evidence of improved tissue blood flow with such remedies: this would lead to a reduction in build-up of metabolites and tissue damage. Heating remedies were used to counter the impact of cold, reducing any symptoms made worse in the cold. .
Mucilaginous
Mucilages are complex carbohydrate based plant constituents with a slimy or ‘unctuous’ feel especially when chewed or macerated in water. Their effect is due simply to their physical coating exposed surfaces. From prehistory they were most often used as wound remedies for their soothing and healing effects on damaged tissues. Nowadays they are used more for these effects on the digestive lining, from the throat to the stomach, where they can relieve irritation and inflammation such as pharyngitis and gastritis. Some of the prominent mucilaginous remedies like slippery elm, aloe vera and the seaweeds can be used as physical buffers to reduce the harm and pain caused by reflux of excess stomach acid. Mucilages are also widely used to reduce dry coughing. Here the effect seems to be by reflex through embryonic nerve connections: reduced signals from the upper digestive wall appear to translate as reduced activity of airway muscles and increased activity of airway mucus cells. Some seed mucilages, such as in psyllium seed, flaxseed (linseed) or guar bean survive digestion to provide bulking laxative effects in the bowel. These can also reduce rate of absorption of sugar and cholesterol. .
New-mown hay aroma
The familiar country odour of haymaking, of drying grass and other plants, is largely produced by coumarins (originally isolated from tonka beans – in French coumarou) and widely used in perfumery. They are chemically categorised as benzopyrone lactones and are important phytochemicals, with strong antioxidant activity in the laboratory and likely effects in modulating inflammation. They were most often associated with the calming effect linked to their use in stuffing mattresses and pillows and plants, high In coumarins were commonly used for these properties.
Resinous
Resins are most familiar as tacky discharges from pine trees (and as the substance in amber, and rosin for violin bows). They were most valued however as the basis of ancient commodities like frankincense and myrrh (two of the three gifts of the Three Wise Men to the baby Jesus) and getting access to their source was one benefit to Solomon for marrying the Queen of Sheba (now Ethiopia). Resins were the original antiseptic remedies, ground and applied as powders or pastes to wounds or inflamed tissues, and were also used for mummification. With alcohol distillation it was found that they could be dissolved in 90% alcohol and in this form they remain a most powerful mouthwash and gargle, for infected sore throats and gum disease. They never attracted much early research interest because they permanently coat expensive glassware! For use in the mouth, gums and throat hey are best combined with concentrated licorice extracts to keep the resins in suspension and add extra soothing properties. It appears that they work both as local antiseptics and by stimulating white blood cell activity under the mucosal surface. They feel extremely effective!
Salty
The salty flavour is immediately distinctive. A grain dropped onto the tongue is instantly moistening and a sprinkle on food enkindles digestion. This easily recognisable flavour has its receptors right at the front of the tongue. The salty flavor creates moisture and heat, a sinking and heavy effect which is very grounding for the nervous system and encourages stability. People who are solid and reliable become known as ‘the salt of the earth'.
Sharpness
The sharp taste of some fruits, and almost all unripe fruits, as well as vinegar and fermented foods, is produced by weak acids (the taste is generated by H+ ions from acids stimulating the sour taste buds). Sour taste buds are hard-wired to generate immediate reflex responses elsewhere in the body. Anyone who likes the refreshing taste of lemon or other citrus in the morning will know that one reflex effect is increased saliva production. Other effects are subjective rather than confirmed by research but there is a consistent view that they include increased digestive activity and contraction of the gallbladder.
Sweet
In the days when most people never tasted sugar, ‘sweetness’ was associated with the taste of basic foods: that of cooked vegetables, cereals and meat. In other words sweet was the quality of nourishment, and ‘tonic’ remedies. Describing a remedy as sweet generally led to that remedy being used in convalescence or recovery from illness. Interestingly, the plant constituents most often found in classic tonics like licorice, ginseng are plant steroids including saponins, which also have a sweet taste.

Sign up to our Newsletter

Sign up to our newsletter to receive the very latest in herbal insights.

Sign up to our newsletter