Triphala

Triphala: Ayurveda's Most Celebrated Formulation

If there is one Ayurvedic preparation that almost every practitioner across every school of thought agrees on, it is Triphala. The name means simply "three fruits" (Tri = three, Phala = fruit), it is a combination of three dried fruits: Amalaki (Amla), Haritaki, and Vibhitaki. And yet the combined formula is considered far more powerful than any of its parts taken individually.

Triphala is praised extensively in all three of the foundational Ayurvedic classical texts, the Charaka Samhita, the Sushruta Samhita, and the Astanga Hridaya. It has been in continuous use for over a thousand years, which in itself is a form of clinical evidence. Formulations do not persist across centuries and cultures unless they consistently produce results.

What makes Triphala genuinely unusual in Ayurveda is that it is one of the very few formulas described as Tridosha, capable of balancing all three doshas (Vata, Pitta, and Kapha) simultaneously. Most herbs and formulas are suited to one or two constitutional types; Triphala is considered suitable for nearly everyone. This broad applicability is explained by its exceptional taste complexity: classical texts note that Triphala contains five of the six Ayurvedic tastes (Rasas), sour, sweet, bitter, astringent, and pungent, with only salt absent. Each taste acts on a different dosha, giving the formula its unusual breadth of action.

The three fruits each contribute distinct properties. Amalaki (Amla) is the richest natural source of vitamin C in Ayurvedic pharmacology and is primarily Pittahara, cooling and anti-inflammatory. Haritaki, called the "king of medicines" in Tibetan Ayurveda, is Vatahara, deeply rejuvenating to the nervous system and colon. Vibhitaki is primarily Kaphahara, clearing excess mucus and supporting respiratory and lymphatic function. Together, they form a balanced whole that no single fruit achieves alone.

Does Triphala help with obesity? Yes, and Ayurveda is unusually direct about it. The Astanga Hridaya Sutrasthan (verse 159) lists Triphala as a Rasayana that cures, among other things, "medo-meha-kapha jit", excess moisture of the tissues, obesity, diabetes, and aggravation of Kapha. That single verse is why Triphala is the most-searched Ayurvedic formula for weight management today, and why almost every classical anti-obesity compound (Triphala Guggul, Medohar Guggul) uses it as the base.

Triphala is a 1:1:1 blend of Amla, Haritaki, and Vibhitaki. The combined formula carries five of the six Ayurvedic tastes, predominantly Kashaya (astringent), with Laghu (light) and Ruksha (dry) guna, balanced virya, and Madhura vipaka. Each of those properties matters for obesity. The astringent and dry qualities counter the wet, heavy, sticky character of Meda Dhatu (fat tissue) when it accumulates in excess. The light quality opposes the heavy nature of Kapha, which Ayurveda identifies as the dominant dosha in most obesity. And the Rasayana action means it nourishes the tissues even as it scrapes excess from the channels, the opposite of crash dieting, which strips fat but also weakens the body.

What makes Triphala genuinely useful for obesity, rather than just adjacent to it, is the way it works on Agni (the digestive fire) and Ama (undigested metabolic waste). Almost every case of Sthaulya (obesity) in Ayurveda is rooted in Mandagni (weak digestive fire) and accumulated Ama blocking the Meda Vaha Srotas (fat-tissue channels). Triphala is one of the few formulas that simultaneously kindles Agni, clears Ama through gentle nightly bowel movement, and supports long-term tissue integrity. A 2017 randomised controlled trial published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine reported significant reductions in body weight, body fat, and waist circumference in participants taking Triphala over twelve weeks, broadly consistent with what the classical texts describe.

Triphala Benefits: What the Classical Texts and Modern Research Say

Digestive Health and Gentle Laxative Effect

Triphala's most widely known benefit is its gentle, non-habit-forming support for healthy bowel function. Unlike harsh laxatives that work by irritating the intestinal lining, Triphala works through two complementary mechanisms: it is mildly Sramsana (a gentle bowel-regulating agent) and deeply Deepana-Pachana (digestive fire-kindling and ama-clearing). In practice, this means it softens stools and encourages regular elimination without causing cramping or dependency. The classical texts specifically recommend it for Vibandha (constipation) and sluggish Agni (digestive fire). For those searching "triphala for constipation," this is the primary mechanism at work.

Modern research supports this: a 2011 study published in the Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine found Triphala significantly more effective than placebo for improving bowel regularity in patients with functional constipation, without adverse effects.

Detoxification and Gut Microbiome Support

Triphala is classified as a Deepana and Ama-pachana herb, it stimulates digestive metabolism and helps clear the accumulation of undigested metabolic waste (Ama) from the GI tract. In modern terms, recent studies have identified Triphala as a prebiotic: it selectively promotes the growth of beneficial gut bacteria, particularly Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus species, while inhibiting certain pathogenic strains. A 2017 study in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology documented significant prebiotic effects from Triphala's polyphenol content, gallic acid, ellagic acid, and chebulic acid among them.

Eye Health

Ayurveda has long prescribed Triphala as a tonic for the eyes (Chakshushya). Traditionally, a dilute Triphala decoction was used as an eyewash to reduce inflammation and fatigue. Internally, Amalaki's exceptionally high vitamin C and antioxidant content supports vascular integrity in the retina. Modern research has explored Triphala's potential role in supporting eye health through antioxidant protection against oxidative stress, a key factor in conditions like macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy.

Skin Health and Antioxidant Activity

Triphala is a potent source of polyphenolic antioxidants, particularly tannins, flavonoids, and vitamin C from Amalaki. Laboratory studies have measured its antioxidant capacity as comparable to, and in some assays exceeding, vitamins C and E. In Ayurvedic practice it is described as Tvachya, beneficial to the skin, and is used for conditions associated with inflammation, oxidative damage, and impaired tissue repair. Regular internal use is thought to support clear, healthy skin by reducing Ama and cooling excess Pitta.

Weight Management

Triphala's relevance to weight management, a high-volume search topic, comes primarily from its effects on digestion and metabolism rather than any direct fat-burning mechanism. It improves Agni (digestive fire), reduces Ama accumulation, and its mild laxative action reduces water retention and sluggish gut transit. A 2017 double-blind RCT published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found that participants taking Triphala lost significantly more weight and body fat over 12 weeks compared to placebo, with notable reductions in waist circumference. The researchers attributed this partly to the prebiotic effects and partly to improved metabolic efficiency.

Immune Support

As a Rasayana, Triphala is broadly considered immune-supportive in Ayurveda. Modern research has identified immunomodulatory activity in several of its constituent polyphenols. Amalaki alone is one of the most intensively studied immunomodulatory botanicals in Ayurvedic pharmacology, with documented effects on natural killer cell activity and macrophage function.

Triphala does not work on obesity through a single mechanism. It works on three layers at once, which is why the Astanga Hridaya gives it such a prominent place in medo-roga (fat-related disease).

Layer one: Agni and Ama. Ayurveda traces almost all obesity (Sthaulya) back to Mandagni, a slow or deranged digestive fire that fails to fully metabolise food. The unmetabolised residue, Ama, accumulates in the channels and lodges particularly in the Meda Vaha Srotas (fat-tissue channels), producing the dense, sticky, water-retaining tissue characteristic of Kaphaja obesity. Triphala is classified as both Deepana (fire-kindling) and Pachana (Ama-digesting). The light, dry, astringent qualities of the formula physically scrape Ama from the channel walls while the bitter and pungent components of Haritaki and Vibhitaki sharpen Agni. Without this step, no other intervention holds; the same suppressed metabolism that produced the weight will simply re-produce it.

Layer two: Kapha and the qualities of Meda. The properties of Triphala are an almost direct inversion of Kapha and excess Meda. Kapha and accumulated fat tissue are heavy, oily, cold, sticky, and slow; Triphala's Laghu (light), Ruksha (dry), and predominantly Kashaya (astringent) profile counters each of those qualities in turn. The astringent taste in particular has a tissue-tightening, fluid-reducing action that reduces the soft, doughy character of Kapha-type fat. This is why Bhavaprakasha lists Triphala under Tridosha Shamaka (pacifies all three doshas) but also notes its specific benefit in Prameha (the diabetic-metabolic spectrum), which classical texts treat as overlapping with obesity.

Layer three: gentle bowel mobilisation and the gut microbiome. Triphala is mildly Sramsana (a gentle bowel-moving agent), it softens stools and supports daily evacuation without the cramping or dependency of stimulant laxatives. In obesity, this matters because constipation directly worsens Ama accumulation, and the toxins produced by stagnant gut transit are now known to influence metabolic and inflammatory pathways. Modern research has identified Triphala as a prebiotic: a 2017 study in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology documented selective growth of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus species under Triphala exposure, the same beneficial gut bacteria that recent metabolic research links to leaner phenotypes and improved insulin sensitivity. This is the modern correlate of the Rasayana action that Astanga Hridaya describes.

How to Take Triphala: Dosage, Timing, and Preparation

Choosing Your Form

Triphala is available as churna (powder), tablets, capsules, and liquid extract. The classical preparation is the powder mixed with warm water, and there are practical reasons to prefer it. Powder dissolves in warm water and contacts the mucous membranes of the upper digestive tract before reaching the gut, which may enhance its digestive and detoxifying actions. Tablets and capsules are more convenient and tasteless, Triphala powder has a notably complex, astringent, and somewhat unpleasant flavour that many find difficult. Both forms are effective; choose based on consistency of use. The form you will take reliably every day is better than the form you find ideal but skip.

Dosage by Goal

Timing: Before Bed or Morning?

The classical texts offer a nuanced answer that depends on your goal. For constipation and bowel support, before-bed dosing is traditional and practical, Triphala works overnight and supports elimination in the morning. For detoxification and Rasayana use, morning on an empty stomach is preferred, as it allows the formula to act on Ama before food is introduced. Many practitioners recommend alternating timing or simply choosing the timing you find most convenient and will sustain. Both approaches are well-supported in classical literature.

What to Mix It With

Warm water is the standard vehicle. Classical texts also recommend honey (particularly for Kapha types) or ghee (for Vata types) as Anupana, the medium through which a medicine is delivered. These are not just palatability hacks: Ayurvedic pharmacology holds that Anupana directs the medicine's action and modifies its qualities. Mixing with cold water is acceptable but considered suboptimal. Avoid mixing with milk if the primary intent is digestive or laxative, milk is heavy and can counteract the formula's lightening effect on the gut.

How to Prepare Triphala Tea

For those who prefer a decoction: add ½ teaspoon of Triphala powder to one cup of hot (not boiling) water. Let it steep for 5–10 minutes, stir well, and drink when comfortably warm. A small amount of raw honey can be added once the liquid has cooled slightly. This preparation is traditional, effective, and easier on the digestive tract than swallowing dry powder in capsule form for those with very sensitive digestion.

For obesity, Triphala is best taken at night, in churna (powder) form, in slightly larger doses than the general daily Rasayana protocol. The reasoning is practical: most weight loss benefits flow from improving overnight Ama-clearing and morning evacuation, both of which Triphala does best when given a full night to work on a relatively empty gut.

Form: Powder over Capsules

Triphala is sold as churna (powder), tablets, capsules, and liquid extract. For obesity, the powder taken in warm water before bed is the classical preparation and remains the most effective. Powder begins acting on the upper digestive tract before reaching the colon; capsules bypass that contact entirely. The taste is intensely astringent and bitter, which is why many people prefer capsules, but the astringent contact in the mouth and stomach is part of how Triphala signals Agni and Kapha. If the taste is genuinely intolerable, tablets are an acceptable second choice; consistency is more important than form.

Dosage and Timing

Anupana: What to Take It With

For Kapha-type obesity, the heaviness-and-water-retention pattern that fits most cases, warm water is the standard anupana, and a small pinch of dry ginger or honey can be added to amplify the Agni-kindling effect. Honey is specifically singled out in classical texts as Kaphahara (Kapha-reducing) and pairs well with Triphala when the goal is fat reduction. Avoid mixing with milk or yoghurt for this purpose; both are heavy and partially counteract the lightening action.

Duration and What to Expect

The first 2–4 weeks typically bring digestive changes (less bloating, more regular stools, less coated tongue) before any visible weight change. Significant scale movement usually begins between weeks 4 and 8, and meaningful body composition change at 3 months. A reasonable course is 3 months continuous, then a 2–4 week pause, then resume. Triphala is described in classical texts as a Rasayana safe for daily long-term use, and many practitioners use it for years.

Triphala alone produces modest results. Paired with the rest of the obesity protocol, daily walking until a forehead sweat, no eating after 7 pm, light warm spiced food, and ideally Trikatu before meals, it becomes the foundation rather than the entire treatment.

Triphala Safety: Side Effects, Contraindications, and Precautions

General Safety Profile

Triphala is one of the safest formulations in Ayurvedic medicine and is generally well-tolerated by healthy adults for extended periods. Its long history of use across diverse populations, and the absence of significant adverse event reports in classical literature or modern clinical trials, supports its reputation as a gentle, low-risk formula. At standard doses (3–6g powder or equivalent extract), it does not cause the electrolyte depletion, intestinal irritation, or dependency associated with stimulant laxatives.

Mild and Expected Effects

The most common effects when starting Triphala are loose stools or mild intestinal cramping, particularly at higher doses (above 6g) or when taken with an already-sensitive digestive system. These effects are typically temporary and resolve within a few days as the body adjusts. If they persist, reduce the dose by half and gradually increase. Triphala powder has a strongly astringent, bitter taste that some find difficult; tablets or capsules eliminate this issue entirely.

Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

Triphala is not recommended during pregnancy. Haritaki in particular is classified in classical texts as potentially Garbhapata, meaning it may have uterine-stimulating properties at higher doses. The classical texts list pregnancy as a contraindication for Triphala. Breastfeeding mothers should also exercise caution and consult a qualified Ayurvedic practitioner before use, as the effects on breast milk have not been adequately studied in modern research.

Drug Interactions

Triphala may interact with anticoagulant medications such as warfarin. Amalaki has demonstrated anti-platelet activity in laboratory studies, and the combination with blood thinners warrants physician supervision. There is also preliminary evidence that Triphala may lower blood glucose levels, a potentially beneficial effect for those managing blood sugar, but one that requires monitoring if you are on hypoglycemic medications. Always inform your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking Triphala alongside prescription medications.

Long-Term Use

Classical Ayurvedic texts describe Triphala as a Rasayana suitable for long-term use, and many traditional practitioners use it daily for years or decades. Modern clinical data on very long-term use is limited, but there are no documented cumulative toxicity concerns at therapeutic doses. A reasonable approach for general wellness is to take it daily for 3 months, then take a 2–4 week break before resuming. For specific therapeutic goals such as managing chronic constipation, longer continuous use under practitioner guidance is common and generally considered safe.

Quality and Sourcing

As with all Ayurvedic preparations, sourcing matters. Heavy metal contamination has been documented in some poorly manufactured Ayurvedic products. Choose products that have been tested by third-party laboratories for heavy metals (lead, mercury, arsenic, cadmium) and that clearly identify the ratio of the three constituent fruits. A standard Triphala formulation uses equal parts (1:1:1) of Amalaki, Haritaki, and Vibhitaki by weight. Some formulations deviate from this for specific conditions, but the equal-parts ratio is the classical standard and the most broadly applicable.

Triphala: Frequently Asked Questions

If you want to start using Triphala for weight management today, here is the simplest starting point.

Best form: Triphala churna (powder), 5 g (about 1 teaspoon) in a cup of warm water, taken 30–60 minutes before bed. The powder taken in warm water at night is the classical Astanga Hridaya preparation and the most effective form for the Agni-kindling and overnight Ama-clearing actions you want for obesity.

Kitchen version: Stir 1 teaspoon Triphala powder into a cup of hot (not boiling) water. Let it cool to comfortable warmth, you can stir in a small amount of raw honey once it is warm-not-hot, never on boiling water. Drink it slowly. The taste is strongly astringent and bitter; this is normal and part of how it works.

Dosha fork: If your obesity is Kapha-type (soft, even, water-retaining), add a pinch of dry ginger powder to amplify the Agni effect. If Vata-type (irregular, stress-driven, with constipation), take it with 1 teaspoon of warm ghee stirred in. If Pittaja (central fat, inflammatory, sharp appetite), use cool not cold water and skip the ginger.

Find Triphala on Amazon ↗ Triphala Guggul (next step) ↗

Safety: Do not use in pregnancy. If you are on warfarin or other anticoagulants, inform your prescribing physician before starting; Triphala has mild antiplatelet activity.

Triphala is an herbal compound of three fruits that together carry pancha rasa alavana — five tastes without salty. Taken daily at bedtime in half-teaspoon doses, the taste it reveals varies from day to day based on what the rasa dhatu is lacking. One day it may taste bitter because rasa dhatu lacks bitter; another day sour, pungent, astringent, or sweet for the same reason. There are very few conditions in which triphala tastes sweet — this occurs only when no ama (toxins) remains in the body and all seven dhatus are perfectly balanced. That is the signal to stop taking triphala.

158 Triphala benefits: इयं रसायनवरा फला अ यामयापहा । रोपणी व गद लेदमेदोमे हकफा िजत ् ॥१५९॥ Thus, the Triphala (haritaki, amalaki and vibhitaki), together is a best rejuvenator of the body, cures diseases of the eyes, heals wounds and cures skin diseases, excess moisture of the tissues, obesity, diabetes, aggravation of kapha and Asra (blood) 159.

— Astanga Hridaya Sutrasthan, Annaswaroopa Food

फलां मधुस प या न श ने बलाय च वा यानव ु िृ तकृ य च रोगो छे दकरं च यत ् Triphala along with honey and ghee should be consumed at nights daily for strengthening of eye sight.

— Astanga Hridaya Sutrasthan, Food habits &

Indulgence in worry, stressful activities Purification therapies, avoidance of sleep, either Triphala, Guduci, Abhaya –(Chebulic Myrobalan fruit rind – Terminalia chebula) and Musta (Cyperus rotundus), should be licked with honey daily;

— Astanga Hridaya Sutrasthan, Dvividha Upakramaneeya

21-24 योषकटवीवरा श ु वड गा त वषाि थराः ह गुस ौवचलाजाजीयवानीधा य च काः नशी ब ृह यौ हपुषा पाठामूलं च के बुकात ् एषां चूण मधु घ ृतं तैलं च सदशांशकम ् स तु भः षोडशगुणैयु तं पीतं नहि त तत ् अ त थौ या दकान ् सवा ोगान यां च त वधान ् ोगकामलाि व वासकासगल हान ् बु मेधा म ृ तकरं स न या ने च द पनम ् Powder of Vyosha- (Trikatu – pepper, long pepper and ginger), Katvi, Vara (Triphala), Shigru (drum stick), Vidanga (False black pepper – Embelia ribes), Ativisha, Sthira (Desmodium gangeticum), Hingu – (A

— Astanga Hridaya Sutrasthan, Dvividha Upakramaneeya

Snehavyapat Cikitsa – treatment of bad effects :ु त ृ णो लेखन वेद ापाना नभे षजम ् त ा र टखलो ालयव यामाकको वम ् प पल यथा वं फला ौ प यागोमू गु गुलु तरोगं च नेह याप द साधनम ् Kshut, Trushna – Producing hunger, thirst, Ulleka, sveda – vomiting and perspiration, administering foods, drinks and medicines which are dry (cause dryness), use of Takrarista (fermented medicine from buttermilk), Khala – menu prepared from curds, Uddala, Yava (barley), Shyamaka, Kodrava, Pippali (long pepper), Triphala

— Astanga Hridaya Sutrasthan, Snehavidhi oleation therapy

Trivrit, Triphala, Danti, and others for virechana (purgation) in colon disorders;

— Charaka Samhita, Sutra Sthana — Fundamental Principles, Chapter 2: Dehusked Seeds of Apamarga & Panchakarma (Apamarga Tanduliya Adhyaya / अपामार्गतण्डुलीय अध्याय)

Decoction of triphala, aragvadha, patha, saptaparna, vatsaka, musta, madana, and nimba controls madhumeha and related diseases.

— Charaka Samhita, Sutra Sthana — Fundamental Principles, Chapter 23: Over-nutrition & Under-nutrition Disorders (Santarpaniya Adhyaya / सन्तर्पणीय अध्याय)

Mixture of powders of trikatu, trivrit, katuka and lauha-bhasma taken with juice of triphala;

— Charaka Samhita, Chikitsa Sthana — Therapeutic Principles, Chapter 12: Edema Treatment (Shvayathu Chikitsa / श्वयथुचिकित्सा)

Make decoction from the coarse powder of 160 gm each of triphala, ajawan, chitraka, pippali, iron bhasma and vidanga.

— Charaka Samhita, Chikitsa Sthana — Therapeutic Principles, Chapter 12: Edema Treatment (Shvayathu Chikitsa / श्वयथुचिकित्सा)

Take 40 gm fine powder each of svarajjikā and yava-kshara, four varieties of salt, iron bhasma, trikatu, triphala, pippalimula, pealed seeds of vidanga, mustaka, ajamodā, devadāru, bilva, indrayava, root of chitraka, pāthā, ativishā and liquorice;

— Charaka Samhita, Chikitsa Sthana — Therapeutic Principles, Chapter 12: Edema Treatment (Shvayathu Chikitsa / श्वयथुचिकित्सा)

In Kamala (jaundice): the juice of Triphala taken with honey, or the juice of Daruharidra (Berberis aristata), or the juice of Nimba (Azadirachta indica), or the juice of Guduchi (Tinospora cordifolia) — any of these, when consumed, conquers jaundice.

— Sharangadhara Samhita, Madhyama Khanda, Chapter 1: Svarasadikalpana (Svarasa, Kalka, Kvatha, etc.)

Patoladi Kvatha: Patola (Trichosanthes dioica), Madhuka (Glycyrrhiza glabra), Triphala, Katuka (Picrorhiza kurroa), Guduchi (Tinospora cordifolia), Mustaka (Cyperus rotundus), Parpata (Fumaria indica), and the two types of Chandana (red and white sandalwood) — these should be decocted in water.

— Sharangadhara Samhita, Madhyama Khanda, Chapter 1: Svarasadikalpana (Svarasa, Kalka, Kvatha, etc.)

Triphala, Mustaka (Cyperus rotundus), Khadira (Acacia catechu), Nimba (Azadirachta indica), the two Haridras (turmeric and tree turmeric), Patola (Trichosanthes dioica), Guduchi (Tinospora cordifolia), Katuka (Picrorhiza kurroa), and Vidanga (Embelia ribes) — this decoction destroys Kushtha (skin diseases).

— Sharangadhara Samhita, Madhyama Khanda, Chapter 2: Kvathakalpana (Decoction Preparations)

Vyoshadi Churna: Vyosha (Trikatu — dry ginger, black pepper, long pepper), Triphala (three myrobalans), Musta (Cyperus rotundus), Vidanga (Embelia ribes), Chitraka (Plumbago zeylanica), Chavya (Piper retrofractum), and Pippalimula (root of Piper longum) — these should be prepared as a powder.

— Sharangadhara Samhita, Madhyama Khanda, Chapter 3: Churnakalpana (Powder Preparations)

Mandura Vataka [for Kamala/jaundice and related conditions]: Triphala, Trikatu (Trishosana — dry ginger, black pepper, long pepper), Chavya (Piper retrofractum), Pippalimula (root of long pepper), Chitraka (Plumbago zeylanica), Daru (Cedrus deodara), Attvika Dhatu, Tvak (cinnamon), Darvi (Berberis aristata), Musta (Cyperus rotundus), and Vidanga (Embelia ribes) —.

— Sharangadhara Samhita, Madhyama Khanda, Chapter 4: Gutikakalpana (Tablet/Pill Preparations)

After meals, drinking ghee is recommended — either ghee processed with triphala decoction, or simply old (aged) ghee.

— Sushruta Samhita, Uttara Tantra, Chapter 9: Vatabhishyanda Pratishedha Adhyaya (Chapter on Treatment of Vata-type Conjunctivitis)

Also with saindhava, hingu (asafoetida), triphala, madhuka, paundarika (white lotus), anjana (antimony), tuttha (copper sulfate), and tamra (copper).

— Sushruta Samhita, Uttara Tantra, Chapter 11: Kaphabhishyanda Pratishedha Adhyaya (Chapter on Treatment of Kapha-type Conjunctivitis)

One should always lick finely powdered triphala: mixed thickly with ghee for pitta-type timira (blurred vision), with oil for vata-type, and thickly with honey for kapha-type — applying each judiciously.

— Sushruta Samhita, Uttara Tantra, Chapter 12: Raktabhishyanda Pratishedha Adhyaya (Chapter on Treatment of Blood-type Conjunctivitis)

With triphala, tuttha (copper sulfate), kasisa (green vitriol), and saindhava with honey — after incising the kapha-type upanaha (poultice-requiring lesion), pishta-ashchyotana (paste-based eye drops) is recommended.

— Sushruta Samhita, Uttara Tantra, Chapter 14: Bhedya Roga Pratishedha Adhyaya (Chapter on Treatment of Diseases Requiring Incision)

In the first case, triphala decoction should be drunk;

— Sushruta Samhita, Uttara Tantra, Chapter 17: Drishtigata Roga Pratishedha Adhyaya (Chapter on Treatment of Diseases of Vision / Drishti Roga)