Antioxidant and Adaptogenic Effect of an Herbal Preparation, Triphala

Objective: To investigate the antioxidant and adaptogenic activities of Triphala, an Indian Ayurvedic medicinal preparation. Materials and Methods: Antioxidant activity of Triphala was determined by hydroxyl and nitric oxide radical scavenging methods. Adaptogenic activity was studied using swim endurance, anoxic stress tolerance and chronic stress induced behavioral despair test models. Triphala was administered at the dosage levels of 100 to 500 mg/kg b.w.p.o. Results and Discussion: Triphala was found to scavenge hydroxyl and nitric oxide radicals in vitro. The IC₅₀ value for hydroxyl radical scavenging was 40.5 μg/mL and that for nitric oxide radical scavenging was found to be 40 μg/mL, respectively. Oral administration of Triphala formulation significantly improved the stress tolerance by increasing the swim duration (762.28 ± 7.17 minute), anoxic stress tolerance duration (39.11 ± 1.05 minute) and reduced the stress induced increase in the immobility period (61.11 ± 3.42 seconds) in chronic shock induced stress. Conclusion: Triphala has been found to be an excellent scavenger of hydroxyl radicals and nitric oxide radicals, whose excessive formation is implicated in oxidative stress. Triphala is capable of increasing the capacity to tolerate non-specific stress in experimental animals as evident from the restoration of parameters studied during different types of stress models.