TERMINALIA CHEBULA [Black myrobalan/ Chebulic myrobalan]
Tam:
Kadukkai,Telugu: Karakaya, Mal: Kadukka, Kan:Akakayi, Hin: Harad
Plant
is a tall tree growing to about 95 ft or more.
The
branches spread outward and bear several clusters of flowers. Young fruits are
used in pickle making, by pricking hole in the green fleshy surface and cooked
in small quantity of water. Seeds are dark in colour and used in dyeing fabric
and the fluid is used for making dark ink, traditionally named ‘The Indian
Ink’. Now synthetic processes are employed in making the ink.
Terminalia
chebula is a main ingredient in ayurvedic preparation ‘Triphala’.
In
some ancient architecture quake-resistant buildings were raised on special
foundation using sand lime, jiggery , sand and terminalia fruits packed in
foundation pits. Such techniques were used by kings of Kakatiya dynasty.
Fruits
contain Glycosides, Triterpenes, Chebulosides , Chebulonic acid,Glucopyranose,
Tetraflavin B-a type of tannin, besides many other intermediate compounds.
Chelubnic acid is found in fruits. Fruit
extracts of Terminalia chebula are
said to possess Antimicrobial activity.
Juvenile
fruits of T.chebula are used as
home-remedy to quench irritant cough by keeping the seeds in mouth to salivate
and gently pass the saliva down to cure sore throat.
Leaves
of Indian almond [Terminalia catappa]are
stitched along edges to form a round disc-like leaf plate used for eating .
Terminalia
arjuna is a tree “marudham /kadambam in tamil.
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