Harītakī is the sanskrit name of Terminalia chebula Retz. English name of this herb is ink nut. It is one among the triphala. Along with āmalakī and vibhitakī, harītakī is commonly used in ayurveda formulation. Here are the details about harītakī, presented in table form.
Sanskrit Name and Synonyms
The sanskrit name is Harītakī. The synonyms of Harītakī are:
- Abhayā
- Pathyā
- Jīvanīyā
- Kalih
- Kāyasthā
- Pūtanā
- Rohiṇī
- śivā
- Śreyasī
- Sudhā
- Vayasthā
Scientific Name and Synonyms
The scientific name of Harītakī is Terminalia chebula Retz. It has many synonyms, they are:
- Buceras chebula Lyons
- Myrobalanus chebula Gaertn.
- Myrobalanus gangetica Kostel
- Terminalia acute Walp.
- Terminalia chebula var. Chebula
- Terminalia gangetica Roxb.
- Terminalia parviflora Thwaites
- Terminalia reticulata Roth.
- Terminalia zeylanica Van Heurck
Family
Terminalia chebula Retz. under the Combretaceae family.
Vernacular Names
Harītakī has various vernacular names based on the place of growth. Here are some of the vernacular names:
| English | Ink nut |
| Hindi | Harre, harda |
| Kannada | Alalekai |
| Malayalam | Kaṭukkā |
| Indonesia | Majakeling |
Used Part
The used part of Harītakī is fruit pulp.
Guna (properties)
The properties of Harītakī are Laghu (light) and Rukṣa (dry).
Vīrya (potency)
The potency of Harītakī is Uṣṇa (hot).
Vipāka (metabolic effect)
Harītakī has metabolic effect as Madhura (sweet) in the body.
Karma (action)
The actions of Harītakī are:
- Rasāyana (Rejuvenating)
- Medhya (Improve intelligence)
- Hṛdya (Cardiac tonic)
- Dīpana (Appetizing)
- Cakṣuṣya (Eye tonic)
- Vātānulamana (Vāta channelizing)
Prabhāva (special action)
The special action of Harītakī is Mitigates tridoṣa (humors).
Rasa (taste)
Harītakī has 5 taste, they are:
- Kaṣāya (Astringent)
- Madhura (Sweet)
- Amla (Sour)
- Kaṭu (Pungent)
- Tikta (Bitter)
Indications
Harītakī indicated in various diseases conditions, such as:
- Aruci (anorexia)
- Arśas (Hemorrhoids)
- Aśmari (calculi)
- Chardi (Vomiting)
- Gulma (phantom tumor)
- Hṛdroga (heart diseases)
- Jīrṇa jvara (chronic fever)
- Kāsa (cough)
- Klaibya (impotency)
- Krimi (worms)
- Kuṣṭha (skin diseases)
- Mutra Kṛcchra (dysuria)
- Netra roga (eye diseases)
- Pāṇḍu (anemia)
- Prameha (diabetes)
- Śiro roga (head diseases)
- Sopha (oedema)
- Śvāsa (asthma)
- Udāvarta (retrograde intestinal movement)
- Udara roga (stomach disorders)
- Vātaśoṇita (inflammatory arthritis)
- Vibandha (constipation)
- Viṣama jvara (remitten fever)
- Vraṇa (wound)
Agryauṣadha (prime remedy)
- Patya (wholesome)
- Kṣatakṣaya (Debilitation because of trauma)
- Anila kaphahara (decrease vāta and kapha)
Yoga (formulations)
Harītakī used in various formulations, such as:
- Amṛtādya ghṛta
- Brahmī ghṛta
- Caitasa ghṛta
- Ciribilvādi ghṛta
- Dārvī balādi ghṛta
- Daśasvarasa ghṛta
- Guḍūcyādi ghṛta
- Haridrādi ghṛta
- Jīvantyādi ghṛta
- Kalyāṇa ghṛta
- Kalyāṇaka ghṛta
- Rohiṇyādi ghṛta
- Sārasvata ghṛta
- Simhyamṛta ghṛta
- Śūlārikam ghṛta
- Trayūṣaṇādi ghṛta
- Triphalādi ghṛta
- Vāśādi ghṛta
- Saindhavādi varti
- Agastya rasāyana
- Agastya harītakī
- Gandhaka rasāyana
- Guḍabhallātaka
- Bāhuśāla guḍa
- Kalyāṇa guḍa
- Kauṭacādi guḍa
- Kalyāṇa kṣāra
Morphology of Harītakī
- Type: Tree- 50 to 80 feet height.
- Leaves: Ovate, 3-8 inches long, 2-4 inches wide, 5-8 veins.
- Fruits: Oval, 1-2 inches long, hard with prominent line, green when unripe, yellow-brown on ripening, have 1 seed.
- Flowers: Small. Yellowish-white, grows in a cluster.
- Bark: Dark brown and have cuts.
Distribution
Harītakī found in India, in lower Himalaya and also in some part of Indonesia.
Chemical Contents
Here are the chemical contents of Harītakī:
- Anthraquinone glycoside
- Vitamin C
- Terchebin
- Tannic acid
- Chebulinic acid
- Oleic acid
- Palmitic acid
- Stearic acid (in fruit kernels)
- Linoleic acid
- Behenic acid
- Arachidic acid Chebulin (in flowers)
