Research Progress on Chemical Constituents, Pharmacological Effects and Modern Clinical Applications of Classic Tibetan Formula Triphala Based on Textual Research of Ancient and Modern Literatures

Triphala is a core fundamental formula documented in The Four Medical Tantras, the classic masterpiece of Tibetan medicine. It is composed of 3 medicinal materials including Terminalia chebula, Terminalia bellirica and Phyllanthus emblica, and has the effects of clearing heat, regulating qi and blood, and separating the clear from the turbid. Traditionally, it is mainly used for the treatment of pestilence, chaotic heat disorders, heat-syndrome maturation and other related diseases. This paper systematically reviews ancient and modern literature, chemical constituents, pharmacological effects and clinical applications of Triphala, and reveals consistent recognition of its efficacy across historical Tibetan medical texts, in which the formula is used to treat various “heat syndromes” and “three-humor disorders.” Modern studies show that Triphala mainly contains chemical components such as gallic acid, ellagic acid, chebulagic acid, corilagin, quercetin, rutin, and arjungenin, and exhibits multiple pharmacological activities including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, prevention and treatment of high-altitude polycythemia, antitumor, hypoglycemic, lipid-lowering, hepatoprotective, and gastrointestinal protective effects. In clinical practice, its application has been extended to the treatment of multiple systemic disorders including high-altitude polycythemia, oral diseases, gastrointestinal disorders, obesity, and hyperlipidemia. Based on textual research of ancient and modern literature and contemporary scientific evidence, this review systematically integrates the research progress on Triphala, so as to provide a reference for further development and rational clinical application of this classical formula.