Triphala is a mixture of three types of fruits, namely: Amalaki (Indian gooseberry - Emblica officinalis), Bibhitaki (Terminalia bellirica), and Haritaki (Terminalia chebula). There has been quite a bit of scientific research done on the effects of the fruits in Triphala. For example, Indian gooseberry stimulates digestion and has laxative and anti-inflammatory properties. Bibhitaki is useful in bacterial and viral infections and is good for intestines and lungs, among other things. Haritaki promotes metabolism and the absorption of nutrients.

Stomach ulcers and stomach erosions

The stomach of a horse consists of an upper and lower part. Damage to the sensitive stomach lining of the upper part can occur when acid from the lower part rises up. This can result from an (overly) empty stomach because the horse goes longer than four to six hours without roughage. Also, chronic stress can lead to erosion and pain of the stomach lining and ultimately even to stomach ulcers. In addition, very heavy work (in racehorses), certain diseases, medication, and excessive concentrate feed can be the cause of stomach problems. Stomach ulcers in horses are not only found in the upper part of the stomach, but also at the transition to the small intestine. To be sure if your horse has stomach ulcers, your vet must perform an endoscopy.

Signs of a stomach ulcer can be:

• Girthiness / sensitivity when brushing on flanks and belly
• Weight loss
• Dull coat
• Eating poorly or messing with food
• Slow, poorer performance, not wanting to work
• Grinding teeth, yawning
• Diarrhea or mild colic symptoms
• Cribbing, licking iron or wood, windsucking
• Nervous or even aggressive behavior
• Long recovery time needed after exertion

Chronic stress and stomach problems

Chronic stress can occur in horses due to lack of social contact or free movement, overtraining, an inappropriate feeding policy, poor integration in the herd, pain, or illness. Particularly long periods without roughage and large amounts of concentrate feed at the same time are examples of poor feeding practices. Prolonged stress ultimately causes all sorts of biochemical changes in a horse. A kind of chain reaction occurs in the body, involving the brain, adrenal glands, pancreas, and liver. The stomach can also be affected. Stress reduces blood flow to the stomach. In addition, substances are produced during chronic stress that damage the stomach lining. Since less blood flows to the stomach lining, it is already more sensitive to stomach acid. Horses with prolonged stress are therefore more likely to develop stomach ulcers or stomach erosions. In addition, chronic stress is very bad for the immune system, making the body less able to defend itself against diseases and infections. All of this explains why chronic stress in horses frequently leads to stomach problems.

Triphala for stomach problems

The herbs in triphala have a beneficial effect on digestion, including the stomach and intestinal mucosa. Therefore, this supplement can play a beneficial role in stomach problems. In addition, studies show that triphala counteracts the effects of stress. With chronic stress, a horse is actually constantly on alert. Triphala helps to restore balance in the body and regulate the stress hormone cortisol. In addition, triphala supports the immune system, making the horse more resilient. Thanks to the protection that triphala offers against (the effects of) stress and its beneficial effect on digestion, it is a very nice supplement to use for horses with stomach problems.

Sources:

Christine Tara Peterson, Kate Denniston, and Deepak Chopra. Therapeutic Uses of Triphala in Ayurvedic Medicine. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. Aug 2017. 607-614. https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10.1089/acm.2017.0083

Rayudu V, Raju AB. Effect of Triphala on dextran sulphate sodium-induced colitis in rats. Ayu 2014;35:333–338. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4427837/

Nariya MB, Shukla VJ, Ravishankar B, Jain SM. Comparison of gastroprotective effects of triphala formulations on stress-induced ulcer in rats. Indian J Pharm Sci 2011;73:682–687. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3480757/

Dhanalakshmi S, Devi RS, Srikumar R, et al. Protective effect of Triphala on cold stress-induced behavioral and biochemical abnormalities in rats. Yakugaku Zasshi 2007;127:1863–1867. https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/yakushi/127/11/127_11_1863/_article/-char/ja/

Rajan SS, Antony S. Hypoglycemic effect of triphala on selected non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus subjects. Ancient Sci Life 2008;27:45–49. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3330861/pdf/ASL-27-45.pdf

Ganeshpurkar A, Jain S, Agarwal S. Experimental studies on glycolytic enzyme inhibitory and antiglycation potential of Triphala. Ayu 2015;36:96–100. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4687248/

Kalaiselvan S, Rasool MK. Triphala herbal extract suppresses inflammatory responses in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages and adjuvant-induced arthritic rats via inhibition of NF-kappaB pathway. J Immunotoxicol 2016;13:509–525. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.3109/1547691X.2015.1136010