INTRODUCTION:

Since origin of human’s life, plants continue to play a curative and therapeutic role in preserving human health against disease and decay. The widespread use of herbal remedies and healthcare preparations, such as those described in ancient texts like the Vedas and the Bible have been traced to the occurrence of natural products with medicinal properties^1,2. In this context, India being a subtropical country is a good repository of plants that are widely used in the preparation of herbal therapies.

Terminalia chebula is semi-deciduous tree grows up to 24 meter in height. Leaves are simple, alternate or subopposite, ovate or elliptic ovate with short petioles bearing 2 glands below the blades. Flowers pale yellow or white in 4-10cm long axillary spikes. Fruit is a drupe, ovoid glossy, glabrous, faintly angled and yellow to orange brown in colour. Seeds are hard and pale yellow.

Terminalia chebula is a component of the classic Ayurvedic combination called "Triphala" (three fruits). Triphala is an important Ayurvedic medicine, which often promotes health through successive steps of purification and detoxification. Terminalia chebula is also known as Chebulic myrobalan in English, Haritaki in Sanskrit, Harara, Harir, Har in Hindi, Hilikha, in Assam, Harida in Orissa, Hirdo in Gujrati, Helela in Punjabi, Amagola in Tamil, Karaka in Telugu.

Terminalia chebula has been long known for its medicinal value. Terminalia chebula is found throughout India chiefly in deciduous forests, on dry slopes up to 900m especially in Tamil Nadu, widely distributed throught the greater parts of India, from Ravi eastwards to West Bengal and Assam, Bihar, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Deccan, West coast and Western Ghats. The plant is also reported in Sri Lanka, Nepal and Burma. Terminalia species are, in general, subtropical trees. Young plants prefer shade while the matured plants tolerate light frost and drought. It grows well in hilly areas^3,4.

Terminalia chebula is traditionally used in the formulation for anti-diabetic, antimicrobial, laxative, anti-inflammatory, laxative, anti-fungal, cardiotonic, diuretic, hyperlipidemic activity, jaundice^4,5,6,7. Fruits are astringent, tonic, and carminative. The fruits contain antraquinone glycoside, chebulinic acid, tannic acid, gallic acid, chebulin and tannin, terfalvin A. Kernel oil of Chebulic myrobalan contains 6 fatty acids viz. Palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic, arachidic and behenic acid⁸.

Uses in Ayurveda anorexia, constipation, abdominal disorders, piles, sprue, coryza, trachyphonia, hiccup, rejuvenator, fever etc. In the ayurvedic system of medicine it is used in the preparations of Abhayamodaka, Abhayarishta, Pathyadi vati, Pathyadi kvatha, Haritaki leha, Chitrakaharitaki, Haritaki khanda, Pathayadi churna, Abhayadi guggulu, Abhayamalakiya rasayana. Uses in Siddha jaundice, poisoning, obesity, polyuria, anorexia, cardiac disease, eye disease, cough etc.

Terminalia chebula has threats due, to harvest for medicines loss of habitat and trade. The important substituent of Terminalia chebula is the fruit of Terminalia citrina Roxb.ex Flem. Therefore, the present paper attempts to evaluate the physicochemical parameters, preliminary phytochemical screening and heavy metal analysis of the fruits of Terminalia chebula for identification of the drug in dry form and control the adulterants.

RESULT AND DISCUSSION:

The fruits of Terminalia chebula Retz was collected and analysed the various standardisation parameters. Preliminary phytochemical results showed the presence or absence of certain phytochemicals in the drug. The tests performed using n-Hexane, Chloroform, Ethyl acetate, alcoholic and water extracts. Phytochemical test revealed the presence, Alkaloid, antraquinone glycoside, saponins, flavonoids, polysaccharides, Steroid, Tannin and results are given in Table 1.

Table 1. Preliminary phytochemical tests for different solvent extract of fruit of Terminalia chebula Retz.

S. No.	Natural product	Test performed	Result
1.	Alkaloid	Dragendorff’s test	+ve
2.	Coumarin	Alkaline test	+ve
3.	Flavone	Shinoda test	+ve
4.	Steroid	Liebermann-Burchard reagent	+ve
5.	Tannin	Neutral FeCl₃	+ve
6.	Glycoside/Sugar	Molisch’s test	+ve
7.	Terpenoid	Noller’s test	+ve
8.	Saponin	NaOH solution	+ve

The presence of heavy metals namely Arsenic, Mercury, Cadmium and Lead were analysed in the sample, the concentration of all the heavy metals were below the WHO/FDA permissible limits^9-11. The presence of pesticide residue organochlorine pesticide, organophosphorous pesticides and Pyrethroids were not detected in the sample.

Physio-chemical parameters of the fruits of Terminalia chebula Retz. are tabulated in Table 2. The pH value of 10% w/v aqueous solution is acidic. Deterioration time of the plant material depends upon the amount of water present in plant material. If the water content is high, the plant can be easily deteriorated due to fungus. The loss on drying at 105°C in fruits was found to be 1.52 %. Total ash value of plant material indicated the amount of minerals and earthy materials attached to the plant material. Analytical results showed total ash value content was 3.59%. The negligible amount of acid-insoluble siliceous matter present in the plant was 0.47 %. The water-soluble extractive value was indicating the presence of sugar, acids and inorganic compounds. The alcohol soluble extractive values indicated the presence of polar constituents like phenols, alkaloids, steroids, glycosides, flavonoids. The results are given in Table 2.

Table 2. Physico-chemical parameters of fruit of Terminalia chebula Retz.

S.No.	Parameters	Results
1.	Description	Brownish
2.	Loss on drying at 105 ⁰C	1.52% w/w
3.	Total Ash	3.59 % w/w
4.	Acid-insoluble ash	0.47 % w/w
5.	Water-soluble extractive	54.21 % w/w
6.	Alcohol-soluble extractive	37.82 % w/w
7.	pH (10 % w/v aqueous suspension)	3.10
8.	Bulk density	0.476 gm/ml
9.	Tap density	0.58 gm/ml
10.	Heavy metals
	Mercury	BDL
	Lead	BDL
	Cadmium	BDL
	Arsenic	BDL

*BDL=Below Detectable limit

Thin layer chromatographic technique was used to separate the chemical compounds present in the drug. Various solvent systems were checked to separate the maximum number of chemical compounds in the drug. TLC of the ethyl acetate extract developed in the mobile phase of Toluene: Ethyl acetate: formic Acid :: 5 : 6 : 0.5 (Figure. 1) and observed under UV 254 nm 5 spots at R_fvalue 0.29(green colour), 0.39(dark green), 0.53(green), 0.63(green), and 0.71 (green colour), under UV 366 nm showed 4 spots at R_f 0.29(dark blue), 0.39(dark blue), 0.53(dark blue), and 0.63 (dark blue).

Fig.1. TLC of Haritaki (Terminalia Chebula Retz.) Solvent system: Toluene : Ethyl acetate: Formic acid (5: 6: 0.5 v/v)

CONCLUSION:

Preliminary phytochemical as well as various aspects of the fruits sample were studied and described along with physico-chemical, toxic heavy metal, aflatoxin and TLC studies in authentification adulteration for quality control of raw drugs. The fruits of Terminalia chebula Retz exhibit a set of diagnostic characters, which will help to identify the drug in dried condition.

It has been concluded from this study that estimation of heavy metals and pesticides residue and aflatoxin is highly essential for raw drugs or plant parts used for the preparation of compound formulation drugs. The periodic assessment is essential for quality assurance and safer use of herbal drugs.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:

The authors are very grateful to Director General, CCRAS, New Delhi and for providing encouragement and facilities for carrying out this work. Authors are thankful to Ms. Rekha her assistance for work of the paper.

REFERENCE:

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Received on 16.01.2010 Modified on 02.02.2010

Asian J. Research Chem. 3(4): Oct. - Dec. 2010; Page 844-846