2. INTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTION
Tannins are polyphenolic substances
found in many plants product of
secondary metabolism
Tannins have molecular weights ranging
from 500 to over 3,000 (gallic acid esters)
and up to 20,000 (proanthocyanidins)
Typically, tannin molecules require at
least 12 hydroxyl groups and at least
5phenyl groups to function as protein
binders.
5. HARDEHARDE
(Terminalia chebula)(Terminalia chebula)
Synonyms
Chebulic myrobalan, Harde, Haritaki
Biological Source
Myrobalan contains dried, ripe, and fully matured
fruits of Terminalia chebula Retzr. It contains not
less than 5.0% of chebulagic acid and not less than
12.5% of chebulinic acid.
Family
Combretaceae.
Terminalia chebula, commonly known
as black- or chebulic myrobalan, is a species
of Terminalia,native to SouthAsia from India
and Nepal
6. Geographical Source
Myrobalan tree is found in the sub-Himalyayan
tracks from Ravi to West Bengal, Assam and in
all deciduous forests of India, in Madhya
Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar and Assam.
Cultivation
It is found to be growing at an altitude of
1800m. It is not cultivated and fruits are
collected from wild grown forest plants.
Myobalan is a tree, 15-25m in height, and 1.5-
2.5m in diameter. The tree is rounded,
crowned with spreading branches and oxate
leaves. It has yellowish-white flowers in the
terminal spike.
7. MACROSCOPIC CHARACTERSMACROSCOPIC CHARACTERS
Colour - Fruits are yellowish-brown
Odour - Odourless
Taste - Astringent, slightly bitter and
sweetish at the end
Size - 20-25 mm long and 15- 25mm wide
Shape - ovate and wrinkled longitudinally.
8. Extra Features
The fruits are hard and stony with single
seed which is light yellow in colour and
15-320mm in length. The pulp of the fruit
is non-adherent to the Seed.
9. Chemical Constituents
Tannins are the major chemical constituent present in
Myrobalan. The tannin content varies depending on the
geographical source. The fruits which are collected in
Madras are very rich in Tannins.
The approximate analysis of the fruits is as follows:
Moisture – 10%; Tannin – 25 to 32%;
Water & insoluble matter – 40 to 50%
Myrobalan contains are of pyrogallol type of Tannins ,
which on hydrolysis yield chebulic acid and d-galloyl
glucose.
Chebulagic, chebulinic, ellagic and gallic acids are the
other contents of myrobalan.
Myrobalan also contains glucose and sorbital. During
the maturation of the tree, the amount of tannin
decreases, whereas the acidity of the fruits increases.
10.
11. USESUSES
Myrobalan is used mainly as an laxative,
astringent, stomachic and tonic.
The laxative property of myrobalan is due to
anthracene derivative present in the pericarp.
Fruit pulp is used to cure bleeding.
It is an ingredient of ayurvedic preparation
‘Triphala’, used for treatment of variety of
ailments.
Commercially, myrobalan is used in dyeing
and tanning industry and also in treatment of
water used for locomotives.
12. ADULTRANTSADULTRANTS
Botanically only two more species
have been found, which are:-
Terminalia citrina Roxb in Assam and
Bengal,
T. pallida in South India, which yields
another kind of Haritaki, used as a
substitute and adulterant of Haritaki,
respectively, in different regions.
