Nature: bitter, sour, astringent, neutral
Enters: Lung, Large Intestine, Stomach
Actions: Astringes the Lungs and large intestine; descends Lung and large intestine Qi; eases the throat; stops coughing.
Indications:
• Chronic diarrhea or chronic dysentery due to deficiency (can be used for both hot and cold patterns when combined appropriately).
• Lung deficiency: chronic cough, asthma, wheezing, hoarse voice or loss of voice (can be used for cough due to phlegm-fire obstructing the Lungs, when appropriately combined).
Yoga of Herbs (Frawley & Lad): Haritaki: means it carries away all diseases and is sacred to Shiva (also called Abhaya: promotes fearlessness).
• All tastes but salty; mainly astringent/heating/sweet; balancing to all three doshas
• Rejuvenative, tonic, astringent, laxative, nervine, expectorant, anthelmintic.
• For cough, asthma, hoarse voice, hiccups, vomiting, hemorrhoids, diarrhea, malabsorption, abdominal distention, parasites, tumors, jaundice, spleen disease, heart disease, skin disease, itching, edema, nervous disorders.
• Caution with severe exhaustion, emaciation, or dehydration.
• One of most important Ayurvedic herbs.
• Rejuvenates Vata, regulates Kapha, only aggravates Pitta in excess.
• Feeds the brain and nerves, imparts the energy of Shiva (pure awareness).
• Heals ulcerated membranes.
• Regulates the colon: based on dosage, corrects either diarrhea or constipation; improves digestion and absorption.
• Promotes voice and vision.
• Aids longevity, increases wisdom and intelligence.
• Raises prolapsed organs, checks excess discharges: including spermatorrhea, menorrhagia, sweating, leukorrhea, etc.
• Reduces accumulated and congested Vata.
• Triphala, 3 fruit formula: laxative and balancing bowel tonic: haritaki (rejuvenates Vata), amalaki (rejuvenates Pitta) and bibhitaki (rejuvenates Kapha).
Heiner Freuhauf: A Sha Chong (kill worms or parasites) herb, important in Gu Zheng (Gu parasites) formulas.
Hong-Yen Hsu (Oriental Materia Medica): Antibacterial, antiviral, antispasmodic, protects ulcerations of mucosa caused by enteritis or dysentery bacteria.
Dose: 3-9g