Antibacterial potential of hydroalcoholic extracts of Triphala components against multidrug-resistant uropathogenic bacteria – A preliminary report.

“Triphala”, the Ayurvedic wonder is used traditionally for the treatment of different types of diseases since antiquity. The hydroalcoholic extracts of the three components of Triphala powder demonstrated varying degrees of strain specific antibacterial activity against multidrug-resistant uropathogenic bacteria. Terminalia chebula fruit extract was active against all the test isolates followed by Terminalia belerica and Emblica officinalis. There was a close association between antibacterial activity and total phenolic content of Triphala components.The test plant extracts were also found to be non-toxic on human erythrocyte membrane at recommended and even higher doses. The preliminary results of the present study may help in developing effective and safe antimicrobial agents from Triphala components for the treatment of urinary tract infections caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria.

Therapeutic potential of Terminalia chebula Retz. (Combretaceae):The Ayurvedic wonder

Medicinal plants are part and parcel of human society to combat diseases from the dawn of civilization. Terminalia chebula Retz. (Fam. Combretaceae), is called the‘King of Medicine’ in Tibet and is always listed at the top of the list of ‘Ayurvedic Materia Medica’ because of its extraordinary power of healing. The whole plant possesses high medicinal value and traditionally used for the treatment of various ailments for human beings. Some of the folklore people used this plant in the treatment of asthma, sore throat, vomiting, hiccough, diarrhea, dysentery, bleeding piles, ulcers, gout, heart and bladder diseases. The plant has been demonstrated to possess multiple pharmacological and medicinal activities, such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, antimutagenic, antiproliferative, radioprotective, cardioprotective, antiarthritic, anticaries, gastrointestinal motility and wound healing activity. But no systematic updated information on the therapeutic effectiveness of Terminalia chebula, a popular herbal remedy in India and South-East Asia has so far been reported. This review highlights an updated information particularly on the phytochemistry and various pharmacological and medicinal properties of Terminalia chebula Retz. and some of its isolated compounds, along with their safety evaluation. This may provide incentive for proper evaluation of the plant as medicinal agent against the human diseases and also to bridge the lacunae in the existing literature and future scope which may offer immense opportunity for researchers engaged in validation of the traditional claims and development of safe and effective botanical medicine.

In vitro antimicrobial potential of Terminalia chebula fruit extracts against multidrug-resistant uropathogens

Objective: Terminalia chebula Retz. (combretaceae) is called the “King of Medicine” in Tibet and is always listed at the top of the list of “Ayurvedic Materia Medica” because of its extraordinary power of healing. The present study was carried out to evaluate the possible in vitro antibacterial potential of different solvent extracts of T. chebula fruit against multidrug-resistant uropathogens. Methods: A total of 52 multidrug-resistant uropathogenic bacteria were used in this study. Successive extractions of T. chebula fruits were performed with solvents of different polarities. Agar well diffusion and microbroth dilution assay methods were used for antibacterial susceptibility testing. Kill-kinetics study was done to know the rate and extent of bacterial killing. Qualitative phytochemical screening was done to know the major phytoconstituents present in the plant material. Acute oral toxicity study in mice was performed to evaluate the toxic potential of the plant material, if any. Results:The ethanol extract of T. chebula fruits demonstrated a strong antimicrobial activity against all the test isolates and found to be most effective over others. Kill-kinetics study showed dose and time dependent antibacterial activity of ethanol extract. Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of high concentration of phenolics and low concentration of flavonoids and terpenoids. In acute oral toxicity study, no gross behavioral changes were observed in mice at recommended dosage level and 24 h LD50 of ethanol extract was found to be >4 g/kg, p.o. in mice. Conclusions: The results provide justification for the use of Terminalia chebula fruit in folk medicine to treat various infectious diseases and could be useful for the development of alternative/ complementary medicine for multidrug-resistant uropathogens.

A comparative evaluation of antibacterial potential of some plants used in indian traditional medicine for the treatment of microbial infections

A comparative in vitro antibacterial potential of extracts (aqueous and ethanol) of five important medicinal plants (Aegle marmelos, Azadirachta indica, Terminalia chebula, Mangifera indica and Ocimum sanctum) were investigated using microbial growth inhibition assays against the common human pathogenic bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli) of clinical origin. All the plant materials showed varying degrees of strain specific inhibitory action and ethanol extract of the plant materials showed higher antibacterial activity than their aqueous counterparts. Besides, T. chebula and A. marmelos had the strongest antibacterial activity out of which, T. chebula possessed a wider spectrum and a superior antibacterial potential over the others. The bioactive compounds of T. chebula might have potential as therapeutic agents for the treatment of common bacterial infections.