Harad
- 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