Phyllanthus emblica
- Amla redirects here. For the cricketer, see Hashim Amla.
| Indian Gooseberry | |
|---|---|
| |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Division: | |
| Class: | |
| Order: | |
| Family: | |
| Tribe: | |
| Subtribe: | |
| Genus: | |
| Species: | P. emblica
|
| Binomial name | |
| Phyllanthus emblica | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Cicca emblica Kurz | |
The Indian Gooseberry (Phyllanthus emblica, syn. Emblica officinalis) is a deciduous tree of the Euphorbiaceae family. It is known for its edible fruit of the same name. Common names of this tree include amalaka in Sanskrit, amla in Hindi, amlaki (আমলকী ) in Bengali, amala in Nepal Bhasa, nellikka in Malayalam, usirikai in Telugu, and nellikai in Kannada, and Tamil as well as aonla, aola, ammalaki, amla berry, dharty, aamvala, aawallaa, emblic, emblic myrobalan, Malacca tree, nillika, and nellikya in various other languages.
Plant anatomy
The tree is small to medium sized, reaching 8 to 18 m in height, with crooked trunk and spreading branches. The branchlets are glabrous or finely pubescent, 10-20 cm long, usually deciduous; the leaves simple, subsessile and closely set along branchlets, light green, resembling pinnate leaves.[2] The flowers are greenish-yellow. The fruit is nearly spherical, light greenish yellow, quite smooth and hard on appearance, with 6 vertical stripes or furrows. The fruits ripen in autumn. The taste of Indian Gooseberry is sour, bitter and astringent, and is quite fibrous. In India, the common practice is to eat it with a little salt. A glass of water taken immediately after eating the makes the water seem sweeter.
Medical Research
Indian Gooseberry has undergone preliminary research, demonstrating in vitro antiviral and antimicrobial properties.[3] In vivo research demonstrates anti-inflammatory, immunostimulant, heptatoprotective, pancreas-protective, cancer-protective and hypolipidemic properties[4] The small amount of human clinical research has shown hypocholesterolemic properties in both normal and hypercholesterolemic men aged 35-55.[5]
Traditional Uses
For medicinal purposes, dried and fresh fruits of the plant are used. All parts of the plant are used in various Ayurvedic herbal preparations, including the fruit, seed, leaves, root, bark and flowers.[6] According to Ayurveda, amla fruit is sour (amla) and astringent (kashaya) in taste (rasa), with sweet (madhura), bitter (tikta) and pungent (katu) secondary tastes (anurasas).[7] Its qualities (gunas) are light (laghu) and dry (ruksha), the post-digestive effect (vipaka) is sweet (madhura), and its energy (virya) is cooling (shita).[8][9] According to Ayurveda, Amla is specific to pitta due to its sweet taste and cooling energy.[10] However, amla is thought to balance vata by virtue of its sour taste, and kapha due to its astringent taste and drying action.[11] It may be used as a rasayana (rejuvenative]] to promote longevity, and traditionally to enhance digestion (dipanapachana), treat constipation (anuloma), reduce fever (jvaraghna), purify the blood (raktaprasadana), reduce cough (kasahara), alleviate asthma (svasahara), strengthen the heart (hrdaya), benefit the eyes (chakshushya), stimulate hair growth (romasanjana), enliven the body (jivaniya), and enhance intellect (medhya).[12][13]
In Ayurvedic polyherbal formulations, Indian gooseberry is a common constituent, and most notably is the primary ingredient in an ancient herbal rasayana called Chyavanprash. This formula, which contains 43 herbal ingredients as well as clarified butter, sesame oil, sugar cane juice, and honey, was first mentioned in the Charaka Samhita as a premier rasayana or rejuvenative compound.[14][15]
The fruits are stated to contain high amounts of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) but the specific contents are disputed.[16] The fruit contains a series of diterpenes referred to as gibberellins, as well as the triterpene lupeol, flavonoids and other polyphenols.[17]
Other uses
Its extract is popularly used in inks, dyes, shampoos and hair oils. Due to high tannin content in Indian gooseberry fruit [18], it is be used as a mordant for fixing dyes in fabrics
Social value
In Hinduism it is regarded as a sacred tree and worshipped as Mother Earth by Hindus.
References
- ^ "Phyllanthus emblica information from NPGS/GRIN". www.ars-grin.gov. Retrieved 2008-03-06.
- ^ http://www.toddcaldecott.com/amalaki.html by Todd Caldecott "Amalaki"
- ^ http://www.toddcaldecott.com/amalaki.html by Todd Caldecott "Amalaki"
- ^ http://www.toddcaldecott.com/amalaki.html by Todd Caldecott "Amalaki"
- ^ http://www.toddcaldecott.com/amalaki.html by Todd Caldecott "Amalaki"
- ^ The Amazing Amla Berry by Vaidya Ramakant Mishra
- ^ http://www.toddcaldecott.com/amalaki.html by Todd Caldecott "Amalaki"
- ^ http://www.itmonline.org/arts/amla.htm Subhuti Dharmananda, Ph.D Emblic Myrobalans: Amla
- ^ http://www.toddcaldecott.com/amalaki.html by Todd Caldecott "Amalaki"
- ^ http://www.planetherbs.com/articles/Triphala.htm Triphala by Alan Tillotson, Karta Purkh Singh Khalsa and Todd Caldecott.
- ^ http://www.toddcaldecott.com/amalaki.html by Todd Caldecott "Amalaki"
- ^ http://www.toddcaldecott.com/amalaki.html by Todd Caldecott "Amalaki"
- ^ http://oneearthherbs.squarespace.com/important-herbs/amla-fruit-emblica-officinalis.html Alan Tillotson Amla
- ^ Charaka Samhita. Ed. with translation by the Shree Gulabkunverba Society, Volume 4. Chikitsa Sthana, Jamnagar, India: 1949
- ^ Indian. Ministry of Health and Family Planning. 1978. The Ayurvedic Formulary of India. Part I. 1st ed. Delhi.
- ^ http://www.toddcaldecott.com/amalaki.html by Todd Caldecott "Amalaki"
- ^ http://www.toddcaldecott.com/amalaki.html by Todd Caldecott "Amalaki"
- ^ http://www.toddcaldecott.com/amalaki.html by Todd Caldecott "Amalaki"
- Puri, HS. 2003. Rasayana: Ayurvedic Herbs for Longevity and Rejuvenation. London:Taylor & Francis. pp 22-42.
External links
- Pharmacological studies on Emblica officinalis
- Amla , key herb of Ayurvedic medicine
- Cultivation - from Indian National Medicinal Plants Board
- Origin and botanical traits
- "Amalaki" by Todd Caldecott
Further Reading
Winston, David, and Steven Maimes. 2007. Adaptogens: Herbs for Strength, Stamina, and Stress Relief'. Healing Arts Press. Contains a detailed monograph on Emblica officinalis (Amla; Indian gooseberry) as well as a discussion of health benefits.
