Introduction: Terminalia chebula belongs to the family Combretaceae and is referred to as the ‘King of Medicine’ in Tibet. Furthermore, Terminalia chebula is constantly recorded at the top of the list of ‘Ayurvedic Materia Medica’ due to its exceptional healing power. The whole plant has been used for centuries and exhibits significant medicinal values to prevent and treat various human diseases. The pharmacological activities of its bioactives can help in the treatment of bronchoconstriction (asthma/COPD), infection & inflammation (sore throat), vomiting, hiccough, gastrointestinal disorders (diarrhea, dysentery, bleeding piles, ulcers), gout, cardiovascular and bladder diseases.

 

Objective: The current study elucidated the bioactives in the hydroalcoholic extract of Terminalia chebula fruit powder which are responsible for its prophylactic and therapeutic activity.

 

Method: Hydroalcoholic extract of Terminalia chebula fruit was prepared by using green technological extractions. Green technological extraction was carried out using Microwave assisted extraction, Ultrasonic probe and bath method, Heat reflux extraction and Solvent Extraction using ethanol: water (50:50). Column fractionation was used to isolate the bioactives using silica gel as stationary phase. The obtained fractions are subjected to Spectral characterization using UV, TLC, HPTLC, ATR-FTIR, NMR and GC-MS analysis.

 

Result: More than 11 peaks are identified with the hydroalcoholic extract at different wavelength. Obtained peaks indicate the presence of different anthraquinones in the hydroalcoholic extract of Terminal chebula fruit powder.

 

Conclusion: Due to its active and potent bioactives, Terminal chebula exhibits antioxidant, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, antimutagenic, antiproliferative, radioprotective, cardioprotective, antiarthritic, anticaries, gastrointestinal motility and wound healing activity.

 

Keywords: Terminalia chebula, ATR-FTIR, NMR, GC-MS, UV, pharmacological activity, bioactives