Bibhitaki is a tropical fruit found throughout India. It is about the size of a large walnut and is primarily astringent in taste. Bibhitaki is one of the three fruits in the famous triphala formula and is the preferred herb for regulating kapha. This means it is used when there are kapha accumulations in the lungs, ears, sinuses, throat, liver, and urinary tract. It is astringent and therefore absorbs the excess moisture of kapha and relieves coughs. It has some lesser known value for treating tropical conditions such as diarrhea, pulmonary eosinophilia, and allergic reactions, conditions that are often parasitic in origin. It is also one of the herbs used in oral health, but it usually the shell that is made as a decoction and then used as an oral rinse.
Bibhitaki has a strong action on lipid deposits and will flush them out of the system. It is also protective against retroviruses by increasing immunity and resistance to infectious diseases. Research suggests it also acts to reduce mutagenesis.