Antibacterial activity of crude extract from Kadukkai choornam (T. chebula Retz): A Siddha medicine

Among the single herbs widely used in Traditional Siddha System of Medicine, Kadukkai (Terminalia chebula, Combretaceae).It finds a very special place, because it is been considered superior to the nourishing mother. Apart from its efficacy in treating tastelessness, fever, cough, asthma, urinary diseases, worms, rheumatism, etc. It is the only plant having five tastes among the six tastes mentioned in the Siddha literatures. This research paper deals with the anti bacterial activity of crude extract from Kadukkai Choornam using Nutrient Agar and Muller Hinton Agar. The extract was found to be effective against micro-organisms such as Protease, Vibrio cholera, Staphylococcus, Pseudomonas and Helicobacter pylori. The specialty lies in its efficacy of inhibiting the micro-organisms even at minimum concentration of 100 µl. This is only a preliminary study and more studies are to be carried out to explore the wonderful therapeutic properties of this herbal medicine.