2025, Vol. 13, Issue 4, Part A

author(s)
Helda Francis, Ann Shine Paul, Krishna Das MS and ASA Samuel

abstract
Triphala churna, a traditional Ayurvedic formulation composed of Terminalia chebula, Terminalia bellerica, and Emblica officinalis in equal ratios, is known for its therapeutic properties, including anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects. This study aimed to evaluate the anticancer potential of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Triphala through in vitro antiproliferative, antimitotic, and cytotoxic assays. The extracts were prepared using distilled water and ethanol, then tested for antiproliferative activity using a yeast model and for antimitotic effects using Allium cepa root tips. Cytotoxicity was assessed via MTT assay on glioblastoma cell lines, using 12.5% and 25% concentrations of both extracts. The 25% ethanolic extract demonstrated the highest antiproliferative activity, showing 48% cell viability. It also exhibited the strongest antimitotic effect, reducing the mitotic index to 40%. The results suggest that ethanolic extracts of Triphala possess significant anticancer properties and could serve as promising candidates for future cancer therapies.