Terminalia kaernbachii/Terminalia is a genus of large trees of the flowering plant family Combretaceae, comprising nearly 300 species distributed in tropical regions of the world. The genus name derives from the Latin word terminus, referring to the fact that the leaves appear at the very tips of the shoots.^[rx]

Terminalia is a tree. Three species of Terminalia are used for medicine. These species are Terminalia arjuna, Terminalia bellerica, and Terminalia chebula.

In traditional Ayurvedic medicine, Terminalia arjuna has been used to balance the three “humor”: Kapha, pitta, and Vata. It has also been used for asthma, bile duct disorders, scorpion stings, and poisonings.

The bark of Terminalia arjuna has been used in India for more than 3000 years, primarily as a heart remedy. An Indian physician named Vagbhata has been credited as the first to use this product for heart conditions in the seventh century A.D. Research on Terminalia has been going on since the 1930s, but studies have provided mixed results. Its role, if any, in heart disease still remains uncertain.

Nevertheless, people, today use Terminalia arjuna for disorders of the heart and blood vessels (cardiovascular disease), including heart disease and related chest pain, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. It is also used as “a water pill,” and for earaches, dysentery, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), diseases of the urinary tract, and to increase sexual desire.

Terminalia bellerica and Terminalia chebula are both used for high cholesterol and digestive disorders, including both diarrhea and constipation, and indigestion. They have also been used for HIV infection.

Terminalia bellerica is used to protect the liver and to treat respiratory conditions, including respiratory tract infections, cough, and sore throat. Terminalia chebula is used for dysentery. Terminalia bellerica and Terminalia chebula are used as a lotion for sore eyes. Terminalia chebula is also used topically as a mouthwash and gargle. Intravaginally, Terminalia chebula is used as a douche for treating vaginal infections.

In traditional Ayurvedic medicine, Terminalia bellerica has been used as a “health-harmonizer” in combination with Terminalia chebula and Emblica officinalis. This combination is also used to lower cholesterol and to prevent death of heart tissue.

Other Name(s):

Abhaya, Amandier Indien, Amandier Tropical, Arale, Arjan des Indes, Arjuna, Axjun Argun, Badamier, Badamier chebule, Badamier Géant, Baheda, Bahera, Bala Harade, Balera, Behada, Beleric Myrobalan, Belleric Myrobalan, Belliric Myrobalan, Bhibitaki, Bibhitak, Bibitaki, Black myrobalan, Carambole Marron, Chebulic Myrobalan, Chebulische, Gall nut, Gallnut, Hara, Harad, Harada, Harade, Haritaki, Haritali, Harra, Harro, He li le, He Zi, Hirala, Indian Almond, Indian gall nut, Indian gallnut, Indian gall-nut, Ink nut, Jangalii harro, Kadukka, Kadukkai, Kadukkaya, Kalidruma, Karkchettu, Karshaphala, Manja lawai, Mirobalanos índicos, Mirobaran no ki, Myrobalan, Myrobolan Bellirique, Myrobolan Chébule, Myrobalanenbaum, Pathya, Rispiger, Terminalia arjuna, Terminalia bellirica, Terminalia chebula, Terminalia chebulic, Thuulo harro Tropical Almond, Vibhitaki.

Okari nut is a large, deciduous tree with a spreading crown; it can grow up to 45 meters tall, though it is usually smaller in cultivation. The straight, cylindrical bole is usually buttressed. The seed is a very popular food in the areas where it grows, indeed it is said to be one of the tastiest of all tropical seeds. Commonly harvested from wild trees in the forests, it is also semi-cultivated by the local people there. The seed is often sold in local markets. It occurs in lowland rainforest and riverine forests with a wide range of rainfall of 2000-7000 m per annum. It performs poorly near the ocean and grows the best inland in lowland and intermediate altitudes below 1000 meters. It tolerates poorly drained soils.

Plant description

Okari Nut is a small and mid-canopy tree about 20-30 meters tall with a spreading crown, straight and cylindrical trunk, and grey bark. Twigs are massive and hairy when young with crowded leaves towards the tips. Leaves are simple, arranged spirally, obovate or narrow obovate about 15–28 cm long by 6–13 cm broad. Inflorescences are axillary with flowers on an unbranched axis. Flowers are unisexual and bisexual about 10 mm across. There are free 10 stamens attached to the perianth. An ovary is inferior and carpels are joined. Fruit is a large, ellipsoid, indehiscent drupe up to 9–11 cm long by 6–8 cm wide and 5–6 cm thick and covered with short reddish-brown hairs which is green when young and turn to red, fleshy, and glabrous when ripe. It has a massive woody stone with large white to creamy-white kernel and reaches 7–8 cm long by 3–4 cm wide and is covered by a thin, brown layer of skin.

Botany

• A medium-sized to fairly large tree up to 35(-45) m tall with large, spreading crown, bole usually with buttresses, bark surface grey or grey-brown, inner bark purple or mauve, brown towards the cambium; twigs often massive, hairy when young, with leaves clustered towards the tips.
• Leaves obovate-elliptical to narrowly obovate-elliptical, 12-35 cm x 5-13 cm, thick, cuneate or occasionally rounded at base, usually acute at apex, tapering at base, remaining tomentose on the main veins above and fulvous or rufous-tomentose especially on the veins below, with 10-18 pairs of secondary veins, nervation prominent beneath and depressed above, petiole 1-2 cm long.
• Flowers in an axillary erect spike 10-12 cm long; buds globular, 8-10 mm long; calyx tube fulvous-tomentulose, lobes triangular, up to 2 mm, densely hairy; style up to 20 mm long.
• Fruit a large, ellipsoid, slightly flattened drupe, up to 9-11 cm x 6-8 cm x 5-6 cm, coated with short reddish-brown hairs when young, red, fleshy, and glabrous when ripe, not winged, containing a massive woody stone.
• Stone splitting on germination into two almost equal halves containing edible seed (okari nut) within. Cotyledons 3-4, thin, wrapped around each other.

Facts about Okari Nut

Culinary uses

• Kernels are consumed raw or cooked.
• In East Asia, seeds are consumed raw, roasted or baked.
• Roast the kernels lightly with salt.

SPECIAL PRECAUTIONS & WARNINGS

• Pregnancy: There is some evidence that Terminalia arjuna is POSSIBLY UNSAFE during pregnancy. The safety of the other two species during pregnancy is unknown. It’s best to avoid using any Terminalia species.
• Breast-feeding: There is not enough reliable information about the safety of Terminalia if you are breastfeeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.
• Diabetes: Terminalia might lower blood sugar levels. Your diabetes medications might need to be adjusted by your healthcare provider.
  Surgery: Terminalia might decrease blood sugar levels and interfere with blood sugar control during surgery. Stop taking Terminalia at least 2 weeks before a scheduled surgery.

INTERACTIONS

Medications for diabetes (Antidiabetes drugs)Interaction Rating: Moderate Be cautious with this combination. Talk with your health provider.Terminalia might lower blood sugar. Diabetes medications are also used to lower blood sugar. Taking Terminalia along with diabetes medications might cause your blood sugar to go too low. But more evidence is needed to know if this interaction is a big concern. Monitor your blood sugar closely.

Some medications used for diabetes include glimepiride (Amaryl), glyburide (DiaBeta, Glynase PresTab, Micronase), insulin, pioglitazone (Actos), rosiglitazone (Avandia), chlorpropamide (Diabinese), glipizide (Glucotrol), tolbutamide (Orinase),

DOSING

The following doses have been studied in scientific research:

BY MOUTH:

• For treating chest pain after a heart attack along with conventional treatments: 500 mg of the powdered bark of Terminalia arjuna every 8 hours daily.
• For congestive heart failure: 500 mg of the powdered bark of Terminalia arjuna every 8 hours daily.

Uses

Trees of T. catappa provide a red, good-quality, elastic, cross-grained timber often used for the construction of buildings, boats, bridges, floors, boxes, crates, planks, carts, barrels, wheelbarrows and furniture (Thomson and Evans, 2006; Orwa et al., 2009). The distinctive pagoda-like shape of the tree and the red leaves along with its fast growth make it valuable as an ornamental species (Janick and Paull, 2008).In the horticultural trade, T. catappa is promoted as an excellent ornamental for coastal areas and valued for its shade, edible fruits and ability to stabilize soils (Brown and Cooprider, 2013). This species has been used medicinally in India, the Philippines, Indonesia and New Caledonia and the leaves are regarded as a contraceptive. The leaves have a sudorific action and are applied to rheumatic joints. The tannin from bark and leaves is used as an astringent in dysentery and thrush. It is also regarded as diuretic and cardiotonic and is applied externally on skin eruptions. In the Philippines a decoction of the leaves is employed as a vermifuge.

The fibrous fruit has a pleasant smell and is edible though not very tasty. Fruit quality can range from sweet to bitter. The kernel is eaten raw or roasted and has an almond-like taste due to the high oil content (Janick and Paull, 2008). The seed is considered delicious and the pale odourless oil it contains is similar to almond oil. The oil is employed in cooking and medicinally as a substitute for true almond oil to relieve abdominal inflammations, and, cooked with the leaves, in treating leprosy, scabies and other skin diseases. The foliage is used as feed for silkworms and other animals (Valkenburg and Waluyo, 1991; Orwa et al., 2009).

T. catappa is often planted for erosion control, land reclamation and soil improvement. This species has a vast root system that binds together both sands and poor soils and it is also a good provider of mulch for the protection of soil and young crops (Thomson and Evans, 2006; Orwa et al., 2009; ISSG, 2017; PROTA, 2017). The tree is often planted in avenues and gardens as a shade tree. It is very well suited for this purpose because of its pagoda-like habit, with long, horizontal branches and large leaves.

The bark and leaves and sometimes roots and green fruits are locally used for tanning leather and provide a black dye, used for dyeing cottons and rattan and as ink. Fruit yield a red dye.

Economic Value

Uses List

Seed tradeAnimal feed, fodder, forage

• Fodder/animal feed
• Invertebrate food for silkworms

Environmental

• Agroforestry
• Amenity
• Erosion control or dune stabilization
• Land reclamation
• Revegetation
• Shade and shelter

Fuels

• Fuelwood

Human food and beverage

• Beverage base
• Fruits
• Nuts
• Seeds

Materials

• Dye/tanning
• Essential oils
• Gum/resin
• Lipids
• Miscellaneous materials
• Resins
• Wood/timber

Medicinal, pharmaceutical

• Source of medicine/pharmaceutical
• Traditional/folklore

Ornamental

• Christmas tree
• Cut flower
• garden plant
• Potted plant
• Propagation material

Wood Products

Industrial and domestic woodwareBoats

Containers

• Boxes
• Crates

Furniture

Roundwood

• Building poles
• Posts

Sawn or hewn building timbers

• Beams
• Bridges
• Carpentry/joinery (exterior/interior)
• Engineering structures
• Flooring
• For heavy construction
• For light construction
• Hydraulic works

Wood-based materials

• Plywood

Woodware

Prevention and Control

In Florida (USA) areas invaded by T. catappa are treated with basal applications of herbicides such as triclopyr (Hadden et al., 2005). In Santa Catarina, Brazil, cutting the tree and applying 4% triclopyr to the stump was the most effective treatment for T. catappa (Dechoum and Ziller, 2013).Due to the variable regulations around (de)registration of pesticides, your national list of registered pesticides or relevant authority should be consulted to determine which products are legally allowed for use in your country when considering chemical control. Pesticides should always be used in a lawful manner, consistent with the product’s label.

Biological Control

The ISSG website suggests that bio-control agents could potentially be used in the control and management of T. catappa, but this website does not provide specific information. Beetles, grasshoppers, leaf rollers, leaf miners, fruit flies have been observed to affecting plants at different stages in India, Malaysia, Puerto Rico and Costa Rica and could potentially be used for its bio-control. However, further investigation is needed to establish the effectiveness of such vectors, as well as their possibility of becoming invasive species themselves (ISSG, 2017).

Chemical Control

References

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