title: Potential therapeutic applications for Terminalia chebula in Iranian traditional medicine.
abstract: Terminalia chebula (family: Combretaceae) is widely used in the traditional medicine of India and Iran to treat diseases that include dementia, constipation, and diabetes. This tree is known in Iranian traditional medicine (ITM) as halileh or halilaj and the fruit is used to develop treatments. It is described in ITM as an astringent that has a "cold" and "dry" temperament. References to the medicinal properties of Terminalia chebula were collected from important ITM sources and from modern medical databases (PubMed, Scirus, ScienceDirect, and Scopus). The medicinal properties described for this tree in ITM were compared with those reported in studies of modern phytotherapy. The results confirm that the tree referred to as halileh in traditional books is the Terminalia chebula used in present-day studies. Treatments that have not been evaluated in modern phytotherapy but have been traditionally treated with Terminalia chebula include fever, and psychological and psychiatric issues. This article confirms the medicinal uses of Terminalia chebula.
authors.forename: Assie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jokar
authors.forename: Fatemeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Masoomi
authors.forename: Omid
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Sadeghpour
authors.forename: Mohsen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nassiri-Toosi
authors.forename: Shokouhsadat
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hamedi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004358:Drug Therapy; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D029766:Terminalia / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts