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Terminalia chebula is a plant species belonging to the genus Terminalia, family Combretaceae. It is a flowering evergreen tree called in English the Myrobalan or sometimes the Chebulic Myrobalan. In Urdu, Persian or Hindi it is also called Hardad, Haritaki or Harada respectively Inknut. It is native to the Indian subcontinent and the adjacent areas such as Pakistan, Nepal and the south-west of China stretching as far south as Kerala or even Sri Lanka where is called Aralu. This tree yields smallish, ribbed and nut-like fruits which are picked up when still green and then pickled, boiled with a little added sugar in their own syrup or used in preserves or concotions. The seed of the fruit, which has an eliptical shape, is an abrasive pit enveloped by a fleshy and firm pulp. Terminalia chebula can reach heights of 20 meters. The myrobalan is highly regarded as an universal panacea in the Ayur-Vedic Medicine. It is reputed to cure blindness and it is believed to inhibit the growth of the malignant tumours. It is allegedly also a powerful detox agent.
