Triphala Churna
Triphala Churna is a classical Ayurvedic churna, a fine herbal powder. Listed in Ayurvedic Formulary of India (AFI) Part I. The Ayurvedic Formulary of India (Part I, entry 7:15) lists 3 ingredients: Pathya 1 part, Bibhita 1 part and Dhatri 1 part.
| Also known as | Triphala Churna, TriphalaChurna |
|---|---|
| Pharmacopoeia status | Listed in Ayurvedic Formulary of India (AFI) Part I; all three ingredients individually monographed in Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India (API) Part I; Terminalia chebula and Emblica officinalis listed in WHO monographs on selected medicinal plants; USP-verified Triphala supplements available in Western markets; European HMPC assessment available for individual ingredients |
Composition
As given in the Ayurvedic Formulary of India, Part I, entry 7:15 (TRIPHALA CURNA), which cites Bhavaprakasa, Haritakyadi varga; 41.. Names, parts and quantities are transcribed as printed and checked row by row against the book. Manufacturers' versions of a classical formulation can differ from the formulary.
| # | Ingredient | Part | Quantity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pathya (haritaki) * | pericarp | 1 part |
| 2 | Bibhita (bibhitaka) | pericarp | 1 part |
| 3 | Dhatri (amalaki) | pericarp | 1 part |
* The scanned text was damaged at this row and the name was read from the entry's own Sanskrit verse.
The Formulary gives the dose as 3 to 6 g, with anupana, the vehicle it is taken with, of ghee, honey, warm water. This is what the Formulary records for the classical preparation. It is not a dose for any product, and not advice to take anything.
The evidence at a glance
5papers on this site for this drug, published 2009 to 2022, every one with a DOI.
- 2Other clinical studies and reviews
- 3Laboratory and animal studies
A count is not a conclusion and a tier is a study design, not a verdict. Everything listed here is laboratory or animal work, which does not show an effect in people. Each paper is listed with what it measured on the page below. See the research index for how papers are tiered.
Names and identification
| Language | Name |
|---|---|
| English | Triphala Churna |
Where is it described in the classical texts?
Charaka Samhita (Sutra Sthana, Chapters 4 and 25; Chikitsa Sthana, Chapter 1 - Rasayana); Sushruta Samhita; Ashtanga Hridayam; described as the foremost Rasayana (rejuvenative) combination in Ayurveda with over 1000 years of documented use
How does it work?
- Gut microbiome modulation: Triphala polyphenols (gallic acid, ellagic acid, chebulagic acid) act as prebiotics promoting Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus while inhibiting pathogens
- Digestive tract epithelial restoration: Tannins and polyphenols are reported to support the epithelial lining of the digestive tract, barrier function and nutrient absorption
- Antioxidant defense: Rich in vitamin C (from Amalaki), gallic acid, and ellagic acid that scavenge free radicals, reduce lipid peroxidation, and enhance endogenous antioxidant enzyme (SOD, catalase, GPx) activity
- Mild prokinetic laxative: Anthraquinones gently stimulate colonic motility and facilitate passage of stool
- Anti-inflammatory cascade: Polyphenols inhibit NF-kB pathway, reduce COX-2 expression, and suppress pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-alpha, IL-6) systemically
Which traditional uses are supported by research?
These summaries come from the source notes, which do not name the studies behind them.
- Digestive regulation and detoxification (Anulomana, Ama Pachana): traditionally used for digestive regulation and detoxification. Studies have reported prebiotic, prokinetic, and epithelial-restorative activity.
- Rasayana (rejuvenative): traditionally used as a rejuvenative. Clinical and preclinical studies have reported antioxidant, immunomodulatory, and anti-aging activity.
- Eye health (Chakshushya): traditionally used for eye health. Studies have reported antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Clinical studies on anti-cataract potential are reported to be ongoing.
- Oral health (Kavala/Gandusha): traditionally used for oral health. Studies have reported antibacterial activity against dental caries pathogens, and clinical trials have reported reduced gingivitis.
What do recent studies show?
- Tarasiuk A, Mosińska P, Fichna J 2018. Triphala: current applications and new perspectives on the treatment of functional gastrointestinal disorders. Chinese medicine. PMID 30034512 · doi:10.1186/s13020-018-0197-6
This review summarised reports that Triphala may support the epithelial lining of the digestive tract, has mild laxative properties facilitating colonic transit, and has free radical scavenging, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulating, antibacterial, and anticancer effects. - Peterson CT, Denniston K, Chopra D 2017. Therapeutic Uses of Triphala in Ayurvedic Medicine. Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.). PMID 28696777 · doi:10.1089/acm.2017.0083
Studies have reported activities including appetite stimulation, reduced gastric hyperacidity, activity against dental caries, antipyretic, analgesic, antibacterial, antimutagenic, wound-repair, hepatoprotective, chemoprotective, and radioprotective activities.
Only studies that could be traced to a published paper are listed here. Classical formulations are researched largely in journals that PubMed does not index, so an absence here reflects the reach of the index rather than the state of the evidence.
Recent safety updates
- Generally recognized as safe (GRAS equivalent) when used appropriately; most commonly reported side effect is loose stools; avoid during pregnancy, in patients with chronic diarrhea, or severe dehydration; use cautiously with other laxatives
- Lack of standardized manufacturing parameters across industry results in varying quality; consumers should verify third-party testing for heavy metals and pesticide residues; long-term continuous use should include breaks to prevent dependency
Dosage forms and preparation
Dosage Forms: Churna (fine powder), Capsule, Tablet
Standard Dosage: 3-6g at bedtime or before meals, as given in the Ayurvedic Formulary of India, Part I, entry 7:15. The formulary’s anupana: ghee, honey, warm water. The formulary attributes this formula to Bhavaprakasa, Haritakyadi varga; 41.
Optimal Timing: At bedtime for bowel; before meals for rasayana
Storage: Airtight container, cool dry place, protected from moisture
Marker Compounds: Gallic acid, Chebulagic acid, Chebulinic acid, Ellagic acid
Vehicle (Anupana): Warm water, honey, or ghee
Synergistic Combinations
- With Warm water, honey, or ghee as vehicle for enhanced absorption
What manufacturers publish about this preparation
Disclosure first. This site is published by Age Ayurveda, which sells Ayurvedic products, though not this preparation. Every cell states what that company's own product page carried when it was read, not our judgement of it. There is no score, no rank and no winner here, and the table is in alphabetical order for that reason.
The formulary entry above fixes the ingredients and the quantity of each. Whether you can check a particular product against it depends on what its manufacturer publishes. Of the 9 companies surveyed that sell a product under this name, this is what their pages carried when they were read on 8 October 2026.
| Company | What its product page publishes |
|---|---|
| Baidyanath | Neither an ingredient list nor quantities |
| Dabur | Neither an ingredient list nor quantities |
| Kerala Ayurveda | An ingredient list, without quantities |
| Oushadhi | Neither an ingredient list nor quantities |
| Patanjali Ayurved | Neither an ingredient list nor quantities |
| Sandu Pharmaceuticals | Neither an ingredient list nor quantities |
| Shree Dhootapapeshwar | Ingredients and the quantity of each |
| Sitaram Ayurveda | Neither an ingredient list nor quantities |
| SNA Oushadhasala | Neither an ingredient list nor quantities |
This measures what each company publishes, not the quality of anything it makes. A company that publishes nothing here may make an excellent preparation, and the label in the box is a separate, regulated surface that is not what was read. What disclosure changes is whether a reader, a pharmacist or an answer engine can check a product against the formulary entry it claims.
Method, the full counts across every company surveyed, and what this measurement got wrong the first time: which manufacturers publish what is in the bottle. The URL of every page read is recorded in brand-disclosure.json. If a row here is wrong, including where the correction favours a company other than ours, tell us and we will fix it and say that we did. How the same companies' stated doses compare with the formulary dose, preparation by preparation: Ayurvedic company doses against the Ayurvedic Formulary of India.
Published research
Literature indexed in PubMed that concerns this subject, grouped by study type. A paper appearing here is a record of what has been published, not evidence that the subject works, and laboratory or animal results do not transfer to people. Study titles link to PubMed so you can read the source rather than take our word.
Other clinical studies and reviews2
- 2018. Triphala: current applications and new perspectives on the treatment of functional gastrointestinal disordersChinese medicine. PMID 30034512 · doi:10.1186/s13020-018-0197-6
- 2017. Therapeutic Uses of Triphala in Ayurvedic MedicineJournal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.). PMID 28696777 · doi:10.1089/acm.2017.0083
Laboratory and animal studies3
- 2021. Triphala Churna-A Traditional Formulation in Ayurveda Mitigates Diabetic Neuropathy in RatsFrontiers in pharmacology. PMID 34149415 · doi:10.3389/fphar.2021.662000
- 2022. Triphala churna ameliorates retinopathy in diabetic ratsBiomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie. PMID 35168075 · doi:10.1016/j.biopha.2022.112711
- 2009. Development of a RP-HPLC Method for Analysis of Triphala Curna and its Applicability to Test Variations in Triphala Curna PreparationsIndian journal of pharmaceutical sciences. PMID 20502543 · doi:10.4103/0250-474X.57286
Reviewed by Dr. Awadesh Pratap Singh, BAMS, on 11 October 2026. What that review covered.
Available from Age Ayurveda
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Consult a qualified vaidya before acting on anything here. Ayurvedic practice is prescribed to a person, not to a condition: the same dravya is given, withheld or substituted depending on your constitution, your agni, the season and what else you are already taking. A page cannot know any of that. Self-prescribing from a reference is how the wrong preparation, the wrong dose or the wrong anupana gets used.
Educational reference only. Nothing on this page is medical advice, a diagnosis, or a recommendation to take anything. Traditional uses and research findings are reported as published, not as claims about what any product does. If you take prescribed medication, raise any interaction with the prescriber rather than acting on a page. See our editorial standards.