A review on antimicrobial activities of triphala and its constituents

An infection is the detrimental colonization of a host organism by a foreign replicator. Infectious diseases remain the first cause of premature death throughout the world. Search of new natural compounds with pharmacological properties is a field of interest widely growing, especially for the management of infectious diseases such as meningitis, tuberculosis, malaria, hepatitis, AIDS etc. Dietary intake of foods or plant based extracts with antioxidant properties were shown to have beneficial effects on human health and improve immune functions against these diseases. Triphala is an Ayurvedic herbal formulation which contains equal proportion of fruits of Terminalia bellerica Roxb. (Bibhitaki), Terminalia chebula Retz. (Haritaki) and Emblica officinalis Gaertn. (Amalaki). It is a well known phytomedicine with known antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, antiparasitic and anti-inflammatory activities. It has been used in the traditional medicines either alone or in combination with other plants for treatment of various health ailments. The most traditional usage of Triphala is to improve digestion, correct constipation, tone gastrointestinal tract and reduce oxidative stress. This review summarizes the current knowledge about the antimicrobial effects of Triphala and its constituents in counteracting oxidative stress as well as inflammatory mechanisms, using in vitro and in vivo models of acute and chronic infectious diseases.