हरीतकी

• Botanical Name: Terminalia chebula Retz.
• Family: Combretaceae
• Synonyms: Haritaki, Abhaya, Pathya, Kayastha, Amrita, Vijaya
• Vernacular Name: Commonly known as “Harad” or “Black Myrobalan” in English, “Haritaki” in Hindi, and “Kadukkai” in Tamil.
• Classification: A deciduous tree belonging to the Combretaceae family.
• Habitat: Found in tropical and subtropical regions, especially in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Southeast Asia. It grows in forests and hilly areas up to an altitude of 5000 feet.
• Morphology: A medium-sized tree, 15–20 meters tall, with dark brown bark and ovate leaves. The flowers are small, yellowish-white, and grow in clusters. The fruits are oval, hard, and ribbed, turning yellowish-brown when ripe.
• Useful Parts: Fruits (primarily), bark, and leaves.
• Chemical Composition: Contains tannins (chebulagic acid, chebulinic acid), gallic acid, ellagic acid, flavonoids, amino acids, and essential oils.
• Pharmacological Action: Known for its rejuvenative, laxative, digestive, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties. It is used in treating digestive disorders, skin diseases, and respiratory issues.
• Formulation: Used in Ayurvedic preparations like Triphala Churna, Abhayarishta, and Haritaki Avaleha.

Rasa: Panchras (lavan rahit)

Guna: Ruksha , Laghu

Virya: Ushna

Vipaka: Madhura