The short answer
Triphala Churna is a powder of three dried fruit rinds in equal parts: haritaki (harad), bibhitaki (baheda) and amalaki (amla). The formulary lists it for bloating with constipation, urinary disorders, eye and skin disease, weak digestion and recurring fever. Reviews describe its laxative action best, but large human trials are few.
Its fruits have their own interaction pages, on blood thinners, diabetes medicines and the timing of other oral medicines. None has been tested in people with triphala, but lab and animal findings mean the question is open. If you take warfarin, diabetes medicine or any regular medicine, tell your doctor before you start triphala.
What is in it
The official recipe is in the Ayurvedic Formulary of India, Part I, formulation 7:15 (printed page 110).[1]
| Ingredient | Botanical name | Part used | Proportion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pathya (haritaki, harad) | Terminalia chebula | Fruit rind (pericarp) | 1 part |
| Bibhita (bibhitaki, baheda) | Terminalia bellirica | Fruit rind (pericarp) | 1 part |
| Dhatri (amalaki, amla) | Emblica officinalis | Fruit rind (pericarp) | 1 part |
From the 2003 printed edition. The 2023 amendment confirms that the part label P. means pericarp, the fruit rind, so the formulary powder is the rind of each fruit, a third each by weight.[1]
Classical source
The formulary takes the recipe from the Bhavaprakasha, Haritakyadi Varga, verse 41 (the e-book copy gives 41-42): the fruits of pathya, vibhitaka and dhatri, in equal parts, make triphala.[1]
What it is used for
- The formulary lists it for anaha (bloating with constipation), prameha (urinary disorders), netra roga (eye disease), kapha-pitta disorders, kushtha (skin disease), mandagni (weak digestion), aruci (loss of taste for food) and vishama jvara (recurring fever).[1]
- A 2017 narrative review calls it a cornerstone of gastrointestinal and rejuvenative (rasayana) treatment in Ayurveda. It found laxative action the best described, with early research, mostly in the lab or in animals, on appetite, acidity, dental caries and gut bacteria. Its senior author is a founder and co-owner of the Chopra Center.[3]
What the evidence says
RCTA placebo-controlled pilot trial of triphala in healthy adults was published in 2020. We have not yet verified its participant counts and outcomes, so we do not summarise them here.[4]
Safety notes
- Triphala's interaction pages: Triphala and blood thinners like warfarin, Triphala and metformin, Triphala and blood pressure medicines, Triphala with other medicines: timing and absorption, and Triphala and laxatives. All rest on lab or animal data; none has been tested in people.
- Because it is used as a laxative, tell your doctor if you also take another laxative or have ongoing diarrhoea.[3]
Who makes it
Sold in India by makers including Dabur, Patanjali (Divya), Baidyanath, Organic India. We list names so you can match your bottle to this page. We do not recommend or sell any brand.
Withheld until review
Questions people ask
Is Triphala the same as amla?
No. Amla (amalaki) is one of the three fruits. The other two are haritaki (harad) and bibhitaki (baheda), and the formulary mixes the three rinds in equal parts.[1]
Are Triphala tablets the same as Triphala Churna?
Not necessarily. The formulary recipe is a powder of the three rinds; the 2023 amendment defines its part label P. as pericarp, the fruit rind. Tablets are a different preparation, and their amounts and processing may differ, so compare the label with the recipe above.[1][2]
Related
Triphala with other medicines: timing and absorption
No study in people has tested triphala's effect on other medicines, or any timing gap. In rats, triphala raised the levels of two test drugs.
InteractionTriphala and blood thinners like warfarin
No study has tested triphala with warfarin. In the lab, triphala slowed an enzyme that breaks warfarin down, which could strengthen its effect.
InteractionTriphala and metformin
We found no study of triphala with metformin. A review lists a sugar-lowering effect among triphala's reported effects, so the two could add up.
FormulationTriphala Guggulu
Guggulu with triphala and pippali, listed for swelling, piles and fistula. One uncontrolled study in bleeding piles; the rest is lab work.
Sources
- Ayurvedic Formulary of India, Part I, 2nd revised English edition, 2003. Triphala Curna, 7:15, printed page 110.
- Pharmacopoeia Commission for Indian Medicine & Homoeopathy. Amendment List-1 (2023) to the Ayurvedic Formulary of India, Parts I to III, item 2 (the abbreviation P. means pericarp), page 3.
- Peterson CT, Denniston K, Chopra D. Therapeutic uses of Triphala in Ayurvedic medicine. J Altern Complement Med. 2017;23(8):607-614. PMID 28696777.
- Peterson CT, Pourang A, Dhaliwal S, et al. Modulatory effects of Triphala and Manjistha dietary supplementation on human gut microbiota: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled pilot study. J Altern Complement Med. 2020;26(11):1015-1024. PMID 32955913.
Awaiting review by The Good Vaidya Medical Board. Prepared from the sources below and checked against each one.
Published 4 November 2026 · Last updated 4 November 2026
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