BAHERA (TERMINALIA BELLERICA)
Bahera (terminalia bellerica) is a tree belonging to the Combretaceae family. In Ayurvedic medicine, it is used as a "health-harmonizer" along with terminalia chebula and emblica officinalis. Traditionally, terminalia bellerica is used to treat various ailments such as conjunctivitis, asthma, migraine, baldness, constipation and poor eyesight. It contains various phytoconstituents such as glycosides, flavonoids, tannins, phenolic compounds, amino acids and saponins which are responsible for various pharmacological activities such as anti-diabetic, anti-microbial, anti-salmonella, anticancer, hepatoprotective, anti-pyretic.
Terminalia bellerica have very different names around the world like, Bahera, Baheda, Bibhitaki, Belleric Myrobalan, Bedda Nut Tree, Beach- Almond, Aksha, Karshaphala, Kalidruma, Bhutavasa, Kaliyugalaya.[1]
Antispasmodic and bronchodilatory activity: In-vivo and in-vitro studies were conducted to determine the mechanism of action for the medicinal use of terminalia bellerica fruit in hyperactive gastrointestinal and respiratory disorders. It showed combination of anticholinergic and Ca++ antagonist effects.[2]
Anti-fungal activity: An investigation was conducted to determine the anti-fungal activity of terminalia bellerica fruit against five clinical and five environmental isolates of Cryptococcus neoformans. Anticryptococal activity was evaluated by disc diffusion method. It was found that clinical isolates were more susceptible as compared to environmental isolates. Hence, terminalia bellerica fruit exhibited antifungal activity with the potential to inhibit drug resistant fungal strains.[3]
Anti-microbial activity: Studies indicate that terminalia bellerica have antimicrobial activity against respiratory pathogens and hence can be used for treatment of diseases caused by pathogens. [4]
Anti-oxidant activity: Free radical scavenging activity and antioxidant potential of terminalia bellerica fruit was determined by in-vitro assays.[5]
Anti-ulcer activity: Anti-ulcer activity of terminalia bellerica fruit was determined in wistar rats by pylorus ligation and ethanol induced ulcer models. Studies howed inhibition of the gastric lesion induced by pylorus ligation induced ulcer and ethanol induced gastric ulcer along with reduction in free acidity and ulcer index as compared to control. Hence, it exhibits potential anti-ulcer activity [6].
Immunomodulatory effect: Terminalia bellerica fruit showed stimulation of morphage phagocytosis through the production of superoxide and acid phosphatase. It also showed activation in lymphocyte proliferation assay with phytohemagglutinin, concanavalin A, lipopolysaccharide and pokeweed nitrogen. The results indicated that T-lymphocyte proliferation effect of extract occurred through the same mechanism exhibited by phytohemagglutinin, concanavalin A whereas B lymphocyte proliferation effect occurred through T-cell independent and T-cell dependent mechanisms, similar as lipopolysaccharide and pokeweed mitogen. Hence, the mouse immune system, specifically in-vitro cellular and humoral immune response was affected by terminalia bellerica making it useful for the treatment of human immune mediated diseases [7].
Ellagic acid is a polyphenolic compound present in terminalia bellerica fruit in a considerable amount (13-23 mg/g) [9,10] and has been studied widely for its medicinal attributes. However, concentration of overall ellagic acid derivatives in fruit is four times higher than that of pure Ellagic acid[11]. The antioxidant effects of ellagic acid are mediated by its metal chelating capacity, free radical scavenging ability, and induction of cellular antioxidant enzymes activity. Ellagic acid has also been shown to protect cells from DNA damage caused by free radicals [12,13]. Very few studies have investigated the free radical inhibitory activities.
Terminalia bellerica has been extensively used as traditional medicine. It is a large deciduous tree, mostly native to Sri Lanka. Phytochemical studies revealed the presence of various phytoconstituents such as tannins, flavonoids, steroids, lignin, glycosides, terpenoid, saponins, cardenolides, flavanol glycosides and fatty acids. It possess various pharmacological activities such as antispasmodic and bronchodilatory, antifungal, anti-salmonella, anti-microbial, anti-oxidant, antibiofilm, anti-ulcer, anti-Alzheimer’s, antihypertensive, antiathrogenic, immunomodulatory effect, wound healing, antifertility, anti-diarrhoeal, anti-cancer, anti-plasmodial, antidiabetic, hepatoprotective, anthelmintic, anti-depressant, analgesic and antipyretic activity. It does not possess any acute and subacute toxicities. It is contraindicated during pregnancy[8].
References:
1. Kadian R, Parle M, Yadav M. Therapeutic potential and phytopharmacology of Terminalia bellerica. WJPPS. 2014; 3(10):804-19.
2. Gilani AH, Khan AU, Ali T, Ajmal S. Mechanisms underlying the antispasmodic and bronchodilatory properties of Terminalia bellerica fruit. J Ethnopharmacol. 2008; 116(3):528-38.
3. Valli S, Shankar GS. Terminalia bellerica-A promising challenge to cryptococcosis. Int. J. of Pharmaceutical Res. and Bio-Science. 2013; 2(5):154-69.
4. Sabnis S. Antimicrobial efficacy of Terminalia bellerica against virulence factors of respiratory pathogens. Int. J Curr. Microbiol & Appl Sci. 2014; 3:215-21.
5. Guleria S, Tiku AK, Rana S. Antioxidant activity of acetone extract/fractions of Terminalia bellerica Roxb. fruit. Indian J Biochem Biophys. 2010; 47:110-6.
6. Choudhary GP. Anti-ulcer activity of the ethanolic extract of Terminalia belerica Roxb. Int. j. pharm. Chem. Boil.
sci. 2012; 1(4):1293-7.
7. Das PR, Tabibul Islam Md, SaleHin Bin Mahmud ASM, Kabir MH, Ehasanul Hasan Md et al. An ethnomedicinal survey conducted among the folk medicinal practitioners of three villages in Kurigram district, Bangladesh. Am.- Eurasian J. Sustain. Agric, 2012; 6(2):85-96.
8. Swati K., Dr. Mythili K.J., Dr. Arun B.J., Dr. Shailendra G., Dr. Anant V. B., Dr. Amit A., Dr. D.M., Dr. G. GM. A pharmacognostic, phytochemical and pharmacological review of Terminalia bellerica. Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry 2017; 6(5): 368-376.
9. T. Dhanani, S. Shah, S. Kumar, A validated high-performance liquid chromatography method for determination of tannin-related marker constituents gallic acid, Corilagin, chebulagic acid, ellagic acid and chebulinic acid in four Terminalia species from India, J. Chromatogr. Sci. 53 (2015) 625–632.
10. A. Singh, V. Bajpai, S. Kumar, B. Kumar, M. Srivastava, K.B.R. Kumar, Comparative profiling of phenolic compounds from different plant parts of six Terminalia species by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry with chemometric analysis, Ind. Crop. Prod. 87 (2016) 236–246.
11. B. Pfundstein, S.K. El-Desouky, W.E. Hull, R. Haubner, G. Erben, R.W. Owen, Polyphenolic compounds in the fruits of Egyptian medicinal plants (Terminalia belerica, Terminalia chebula and Terminalia horrida): characterization, quantitation and determination of antioxidant capacities, Phytochemistry 71 (2010) 1132–1148.
12. W.R. Garcia-Nino, C. Zazueta, Ellagic acid: pharmacological activities and molecular mechanisms involved in liver protection, Pharmacol. Res. 97 (2015) 84–103.
13. A. Gupta, A.K. Pandey, Plant secondary metabolites with hepatoprotective efficacy, in: C.M. Galanakis (Ed.), Nutraceuticals and Natural Product Pharmaceuticals, Elsevier academic press, London, U.K, 2019, pp. 71–104.