X-Message-Number: 25548
Date: Fri, 14 Jan 2005 18:14:01 -0800 (PST)
From: Doug Skrecky <>
Subject: terminalia chebula fights aging?

[Provitamin C slows in-vitro aging, has been OK'd for use in cosmetics
and in animal feed. However provitamin C has not been given the green
light for human supplemental use. Hence the current interest in
terminalia chebula...]

Phytother Res. 2004 Sep;18(9):737-41
Cytoprotective effect on oxidative stress and inhibitory effect on
cellular aging of Terminalia chebula fruit.
  The ethanol extract from the fruit of Terminalia chebula (Combretaceae)
exhibited significant inhibitory activity on oxidative stress and the
age-dependent shortening of the telomeric DNA length. In the peroxidation
model using t-BuOOH, the T. chebula extract showed a notable
cytoprotective effect on the HEK-N/F cells with 60.5 +/- 3.8% at a
concentration of 50 microg/ml. In addition, the T. chebula extract
exhibited a significant cytoprotective effect against UVB-induced
oxidative damage. The life-span of the HEK-N/F cells was elongated by
40% as a result of the continuous administration of 3 microg/ml of the T.
chebula extract compared to that of the control. These observations were
attributed to the inhibitory effect of the T. chebul a extract on the
age-dependent shortening of the telomere, length as shown by the Southern
blots of the terminal restriction fragments (TRFs) of DNA extracted from
subculture passages.

Phytother Res. 2002 May;16(3):227-31
Influence of Terminalia chebula on dermal wound healing in rats.
  The effects of topical administration of an alcohol extract of the
leaves of an evergreen plant, Terminalia chebula, on the healing of rat
dermal wounds, in vivo, was assessed. T. chebula treated wounds healed
much faster as indicated by improved rates of contraction and a decreased
period of epithelialization. Biochemical studies revealed a significant
increase in total protein, DNA and collagen contents in the granulation
tissues of treated wounds. The levels of hexosamine and uronic acid in
these tissues, also increased upto day 8 post-wounding. Reduced lipid
peroxide levels in treated wounds, as well as ESR measurement of
antioxidant activity by DPPH radical quenching, suggested that T. chebula
possessed antioxidant activities. The tensile strength of tissues from
extract-treated incision wounds increased by about 40%. In addition, T.
chebula possessed antimicrobial activity and was active largely against
Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella. These results strongly document the
beneficial effects of T. chebula in the acceleration of the healing
process.

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