Phytochemical profile and pro-healthy properties of Terminalia chebula: A comprehensive review

Abstract

ABSTRACTGlobalization witnessed changing trends in consumer markets. However, their long-term impacts include lifestyle and dietary changes. Although research in the pharmaceutical and chemical sciences led to the discovery and development of drugs saving millions of lives, their persistent use led to safety and toxicological issues. The plants previously used in Chinese and Ayurveda medicines received attention of the researchers to validate their traditional therapeutic applications. As a result, the reliance of communities on complementary and alternative medicines started to recover in the last few decades. The myrobalan (Terminalia chebula) is one such example that was renowned as the king of medicinal plants in Ayurveda due to its wide range of utilization in herbal decoctions to treat various health disparities. The current review showed phytochemical profile, that includes phenolic acids, casuarinin, chebulagic acid, chebulinic acid, rutin, and corilagin. Phytochemistry is linked with its medicinal applications and several research studies validated its antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, hypoglycemic, and digestive tonic. The facts presented in the current article are derived from cell culture, animal, and human studies. Moreover, conceptualized framework regarding the effectiveness against cardiovascular disorders, immune dysfunction, cancer insurgence, and neurological disorders is in the limelight of the article. In last, a comprehensive discussion regarding its potential inclusion in the modern-day functional food market and presents its future applications.

Keywords

• Medicinal plants
• Complementary medicines
• Terminalia chebula
• antioxidants
• Functional foods