Terminalia bellirica (Gaertn.) roxb. (Bahera) in health and disease: A systematic and comprehensive review

Ashutosh Gupta; Ramesh Kumar; Piyali Bhattacharyya; Anupam Bishayee; Abhay K Pandey

doi:10.1016/j.phymed.2020.153278

Terminalia bellirica (Gaertn.) roxb. (Bahera) in health and disease: A systematic and comprehensive review

Phytomedicine. 2020 Oct:77:153278. doi: 10.1016/j.phymed.2020.153278. Epub 2020 Jul 5.

Authors

Ashutosh Gupta¹, Ramesh Kumar¹, Piyali Bhattacharyya², Anupam Bishayee³, Abhay K Pandey⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Biochemistry, University of Allahabad, Prayagraj - 211 002, Uttar Pradesh, India.
² Department of Nutrition, School of Health Sciences, Ana G. Méndez University, Gurabo, PR 00778, United States.
³ Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Bradenton, FL 34211, United States. Electronic address: abishayee@lecom.edu.
⁴ Department of Biochemistry, University of Allahabad, Prayagraj - 211 002, Uttar Pradesh, India. Electronic address: akpandey@allduniv.ac.in.

PMID: 32781393
DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2020.153278

Abstract

Background: Terminalia bellirica (Gaertn.) Roxb. is one of the oldest medicinal herbs of India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka as well as South-East Asia. Its medicinal utility has been described in the different traditional medicinal systems, such as Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha, and traditional Chinese medicine.

Purpose: The present study is aimed at providing a comprehensive overview on the traditional medicinal use, major phytoconstituents, biological and pharmacological activities and related mechanisms of actions and clinical studies of T. bellirica. Another objective is to describe current limitations and future direction of T. bellirica-related research.

Methods: PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and EBOSCO host databases were selected to explore literature published between 1980 and 2020 (till March). Keywords used in various combinations comprised of Terminalia bellirica, phytoconstituents, health effects, pharmacological activities, molecular targets, in vitro, in vivo, clinical studies, and disease prevention.

Results: A broad spectrum in vitro and in vivo studies suggested various biological and pharmacological effects, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antimicrobial, hepatoprotective, renoprotective, antidiabetic, anti-hyperlipidemic, and anticancer activities. Diverse bioactivities of T. bellirica have been ascribed to the presence of many bioactive phytochemicals, such as glucoside, tannins, gallic acid, corilagin, ellagic acid, ethyl gallate, galloyl glucose, chebulagic acid, and arjunolic acid.

Conclusion: Preclinical and clinical studies have suggested that T. bellirica plant and its phytoconstituents have immense potential for prevention and treatment of various diseases. Additional in vivo studies and clinical trials are warranted to realize the complete medicinal attributes of this plant.

Keywords: Molecular targets; Pharmacological activities; Phytoconstituents; Terminalia bellirica; Traditional medicine.

Publication types

Systematic Review

MeSH terms

Animals
Antioxidants / pharmacology
Gallic Acid / analogs & derivatives
Gallic Acid / analysis
Glucosides / analysis
Humans
Hydrolyzable Tannins / analysis
Medicine, Ayurvedic
Phytochemicals / analysis*
Plant Extracts / chemistry
Plant Extracts / pharmacology*
Plants, Medicinal / chemistry
Tannins / analysis
Terminalia / chemistry*
Triterpenes / analysis

Substances

Antioxidants
Glucosides
Hydrolyzable Tannins
Phytochemicals
Plant Extracts
Tannins
Triterpenes
ethyl gallate
arjunolic acid
glucogallin
corilagin
Gallic Acid