Triphala for Dogs and Cats
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Triphala – triphala is an herbal supplement that has been an herb of choice for treating cancers. Recent researches have supported this fact. Triphala enhances the immunity of the body thus helps in fighting against the cells causing cancer.
Triphala since long has been a drug of choice of treating various disorders and diseases.
Triphala is an herbal formulation that is widely used in Ayurveda for the treatment of various ailments (1). It consists of equal portions of dried and powdered fruits of three medicinal plants: Emblica officinalis, Terminalia chebula, and Terminalia belerica (2). Triphala is used to treat dental caries, anemia, jaundice, constipation, asthma, fever, chronic ulcers, inflammation, obesity and to promote immunity against infections such as pneumonia, tuberculosis, and AIDS.
It demonstrated antioxidant (3) (2), anti-inflammatory (4), antibacterial (5), immunomodulatory (6), chondroprotective (7), antidiarrhoeal (12), and anticancer (8) (1) (9) (13) properties in vitro. These effects are due to the polyphenols and flavonoids present in its constituents. Triphala also showed hypolipidemic (10) and enteroprotective effects against methotrexate-induced damage in rats (14). However, these effects have not been tested in clinical trials.
A small study did not find significant difference between triphala and chlorhexidine mouthwashes when used for prevention of dental caries in children (15).
Triphala may cause gastrointestinal side effects.
Purported Uses- Anemia
- Jaundice
- Constipation
- Asthma
- Infections
- Chronic ulcers
- Inflammation
- Obesity
- Hypercholesterolemia
- Cancer
Mechanism of Action
The exact mechanism of action is not known although the polyphenols and flavonoids are thought to be responsible for many of Triphala's effects. Gallic acid, a major polyphenol in Triphala, has antioxidant property (11). Triphala also increased the reactive oxygen species (ROS) in breast cancer cells (MCF-7 and T-47D), resulting in apoptosis (8). Terminalia chebula, one of the components of Triphala, was shown to be a potent hyaluronidase and collagenase inhibitor that prevented degradation of cartilage (7). Triphala also protected mice from radiation-induced mortality (2) (3). Oral administration of Triphala enhanced immune functions in rats (6).
Possible Adverse Reactions
Intestinal gas, stomach upset, diarrhea
Herb-Drug Interactions
Cytochrome P450 substrates: Triphala inhibits CYP3A4 and CYP2D6, and can affect the intracellular concentration of drugs metabolized by these enzymes (16).
Studies with Triphala
Anti-proliferate Effect
In a 2005 study conducted by G. Deep and colleagues at the Jawaharlal Nehru University in India, triphala has shown to help protect against the development of tumors in mice. The results of their studies have been published in the December 2005 issue of "Journal of Experimental & Clinical Cancer Research." It was found that the anti-proliferate effect of triphala is likely related to apoptosis, or programmed cell death.
Antioxidant Activity
Triphala is a rich source of natural antioxidants called polyphenols. Antioxidants inhibit the formation of free radicals, or unstable oxygen molecules, which cause oxidative damage to biomolecules such as lipids, proteins and nuclei acids, impairing normal cell functions. Cellular damage caused by free radicals contributes to increased susceptibility for cellular mutations eventually resulting in the initiation of cancer, the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center notes.
Breast Cancer
T. Sandhya and colleagues at the Bhabha Atomic Research Center in India examined the effects of aqueous extracts of triphala on the growth and invasion of breast cancer cells. The results, published in the journal "Cancer Letters" in 2006, showed that triphala significantly decreased the growth of MCF-7 breast cancer cells. The analysis of this experiment further suggests that triphala extract might exert its anti-cancer effect by inducing apoptosis.
Pancreatic Cancer
Triphala induces apoptosis in human pancreatic cancer cells in vivo in the xenograft models. Scientists at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center reveal that triphala activates reactive oxygen species production. Because an accumulation of reactive oxygen species can lead to apoptotic cell death, triphala might inhibit pancreatic cancer cell growth, says Y. Shi, Ph.D., a professor of pharmaceutical sciences and cancer biology center at the Texas Tech University. The results of this experiment were first published in the "BMC Cancer" journal in October 2008.
