The word triphala derives from the Sanskrit words "tri," meaning three, and "phala," meaning fruits, or three fruits. It's a specific blend of three dried, powdered fruits in equal parts, concocted and used following the guidance of the ancient Ayurvedic tradition. Today, it's commonly marketed as a nutritional supplement and intestinal cleanser.
Amalaki
One of triphala's three fruit components is amalaki (emblica officinalis or phyllanthus embelica), sometimes known as Indian gooseberry, or amla. According to the Chopra Center, this herb contains 20 times more vitamin C than orange juice and is a strong natural antioxidant. It cools the body and strengthens the immune system.
Haritaki
The second of triphala's fruit components is haritaki (terminalia chebula), also called behada. This fruit is astringent and the strongest laxative of triphala's three components and is a rich source of vitamin A.
Bibhitaki
The third triphala fruit is bibhitaki (terminalia belerica), also known as harad. It is also laxative and astringent, is rich in B-complex vitamins and causes the body to eliminate excess mucous. Bibhitaki may be used to treat lung or prevent conditions, including bronchitis and asthma.
Uses
Triphala is used to treat a variety of conditions, including headache, dyspepsia, liver and intestinal complaints, ascites and leucorrhoea. It's believed that triphala can purify the blood and sharpen one's mind and has an anti-inflammatory, analgesic, hypoglcaemic and anti-aging effect.
Benefits
While scientific proof is spotty at best, some of the purported benefits of triphala, besides those listed above, include stimulating the flow of bile, nourishing the nervous system, being the only laxative that actually nourishes and supports the body instead of depleting it, controlling blood pressure and improving circulation and enhancing the efficacy of the immune system, plus improving vision and other eye disorders.
Antimicrobial
In a study conducted by Yogesh S. Biradar, Sheetal Jagatap, KR. Khandelwal and Smita S. Singhania in 2006, triphala was evaluated for its antimicrobial properties and shown to "exhibit a broad spectrum antimicrobial activity against all the microorganisms from human secretions..." The triphala inhibited growth of both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria and had promising results against bacteria that otherwise presented resistance to some test antibiotics.
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