Amalaki
- anaemia |
- anti-inflammatory |
- aphrodisiac |
- asthma |
- bleeding disorders |
- bronchitis |
- cardiac disorders |
- cardiac tonic |
- constipation |
- diabetes |
- eye disorders |
- fever |
- gastritis |
- general debility |
- general tonic |
- general weakness |
- gout |
- haemostatic |
- hair greying |
- hair loss |
- hemorrhoids |
- hepatitis |
- inflammation |
- laxative |
- antipyretic |
- leucorrhoea |
- libido |
- liver |
- male infertility |
- mental disorders |
- peptic ulcers |
- refrigerant |
- rejuvenative |
- skin diseases |
- spleen |
- tissue deficiency. |
- Euphorbiaceae |
- Emblica officinalis |
- Amalaki |
- Ambuvaha |
- Annavaha |
- Majjavaha |
- Mutravaha |
- Purishavaha |
- Raktavaha |
- Rasavaha |
- Shukravaha
Phyllanthus emblica, syn. Emblica officinalis(Euphorbiaceae)
Sanskrit Names: Amalaki
English Name: Emblic myrobalan, Indian Goose berry
Hindu Name: Amla
Kannada: Nelli Kayi
Marathi: Amla
Gujarati: Ambla
Malayalam: Nelli Kayi
Tamil: Nelli
Telugu: Usirikaya
Kashmir: Aonla
Botanical Name: Phyllanthus emblica, syn. Emblica officinalis
Synonyms: Abbaya, Amrta, Dhatri, Vayastham Vayasyam Vrshya, Tisyaphala, Sitaphala
Family: Euphorbiaceae
Description
The tree is small to medium sized, reaching 8 to 18 m in height, with a 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. 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.
Ripening in autumn, the berries are harvested by hand after climbing to upper branches bearing the fruits. The taste of Indian gooseberry is sour, bitter and astringent, and is quite fibrous. In India, it is common to eat gooseberries steeped in salt water and turmeric to make the sour fruits palatable. 1
Traditional use
The fruits are sour, astringent, bitter, acrid, sweet, cooling, anodyne, ophthalmic, carminative, digestive, stomachic, laxative, alterant, aphrodisiac, rejuvenative, diuretic, antipyretic and tonic. They are useful in vitiated conditions of all three doshas, diabetes, cough, asthma, bronchitis, cephalalgia, ophthalmopathy, dyspepsia, colic, flatulence, hyperacidity, peptic ulcer, erysipelas, skin diseases, leprosy, haematogenesis, inflammations, anemia, emaciation, hepatopathy, jaundice, strangury, diarrhoea, dysentery, hemorrhages, leucorrhoea, menorrhagia, cardiac disorders, intermittent fevers and greyness of hair1-6.
Principle Constituents
Classical Categories (Gana)
This herb belongs to the following classical groups:
Energetics
Kashaya (astringent)
Chemical Constituents
The fruits of Emblica officinalis are rich in tannins. The fruits have 28% of the total tannins distributed in the whole plant. The fruit contains two hydrolysable tannins Emblicanin A and B, which have antioxidant properties, one on hydrolysis gives gallic acid, ellagic acid and glucose wherein the other gives ellagic acid and glucose. The fruit also contains Phyllemblin.2 3
Ayurveda Actions
Important Actions
Rejuvenates, general tonic, aphrodisiac, cardiac tonic, laxative. antipyretic – refrigerant, anti-inflammatory, haemostatic,
Indications
Effective in mental disorders, weakness of the liver or spleen, hepatitis, anaemia, bleeding disorders, gout, gastritis, cardiac disorders, asthma, bronchitis, skin diseases, constipation, haemorrhoids, fever, diabetes, general weakness, eye disorders, male infertility, lack of libido, premature greying or hair loss, peptic ulcers, inflammation, leucorrhoea, general debility and tissue deficiency.
In Pitta diseases, it is a favourite vehicle for administration of other medicines. In the combination of Triphala it is used as tridoshaharam. In Lehyas such as Chyavanaprasa it is a tonic. Basavaraj, a famous physician of the Andhra Country prescribes Amalaka swarasa alone in the treatment of Diabetes. Susruta recommends the fresh juice of Amalaki mixed with turmeric and honey in Prameha (diabetes). In the diet of patients, when other acids are contra-indicated, Amalaki and pomegranate are recommended. It is also used in jaundice. It is now discovered that Amalaki is rich in Vitamin C even in the dry state.
External use
Netra vikara, Keshavika – hair wash, Kushtha.Tvakrog – skin disorders.
Internal use
Strengthens the nervous system, bone marrow and sense organs.
Digestive system: it improves taste and appetite, curative, antacid, biliousness, Small doses cause constipation while large doses are laxative. Very good for digestive sensitivity, ulcers, acidity, hepatitis, haemprrhoids and inflammatory and bleeding conditions of the intestines. A good liver cleanser.
Circulatory system: Cardiac tonic, complexion enhancer. It helps to nourish and protect the heart by reducing cholesterol and healing any arterial damage. It is a very powerful antioxidant and a tonic for general debility and weakness.
Respiratory system: Reduces cough.
Reproductive system: Aphrodisiac tonic and haemostatic
Urinary system: Useful in diabetes although it is a diuretic.
Skin: Useful in skin diseases.
Temperature: Antipyretic, refridgerant.
Precautions
Acute diarrhoea, dysentery in high doses. Caution in high Kapha and āma.
Safety
The drug is not reported to have any side effects even after prolonged use.4
Parts Used
Parts used: Fruits
Dosage: Powder 3-6 gm's daily
Important Combinations
Triphala, Chyavanaprasha, Brahma Rasayana, Dhatriloha, Dhatri Avaleha (jam)
Research
Indian gooseberry has undergone preliminary research, demonstrating in vitro antiviral and antimicrobial properties.5 There is preliminary evidence in vitro that its extracts induce apoptosis and modify gene expression in osteoclasts involved in rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis 6
The ether extract and 80 percent alcoholic extract of fruits acidified with hydrochloric acid, were found to have antibacterial activity. The other extract of acidified alcoholic extract showed the highest activity, inhibiting the growth of M. pyogenes var. S. typhosa and S. paratyphi at a concentration of 0.21mg /ml and that of M. pyogenes var. albus; S. schottmmellari and S.dysenteriae at a concentration of 0.42mg/ml7.
Clinical studies were conducted to investigate the effect of crude amla in gastritis syndrome. The crude amla was given in 20 cases in a dose of 3 gms, 3 times a day for 7 days. The drug was found effective in 85% of the cases. It was observed that the drug did not have any significant beneficial effect in cases of hypochlorhydria. Only cases of hyperchloridia with burning sensation in abdominal and cardiac regions and epigastric pain were benefited8.
- 1. Wikipedia
- 2. Ghosal S. "Active constituents of Emblica officinalis : Part 1 - The chemistry and antioxidative effects of two new hydrolysable tannins, Emblicanin A and B" Ind. J. Chem., 1996; 35B : 941-948.
- 3. Dictionary of Indian Medicinal plants, 1988, p. 340, CIMAP, Lucknow
- 4. Bose B. C. et al., Ind. J. Med. Sci., 1961; 15 : 888
- 5. Saeed S, Tariq P (Jan 2007). "Antibacterial activities of Emblica officinalis and Coriandrum sativum against Gram negative urinary pathogens". Pak J Pharm Sci 20 (1): 32–5. PMID 17337425
- 6. Penolazzi L et al. Induction of apoptosis of human primary osteoclasts treated with extracts from the medicinal plant Emblica officinalis. BMC Compl Altern Med 2008;8:59
- 7. Khorana, M.L; Rao, M.R.R ; Siddiqui, H.H "Antibacterial and antifungal activity of Phyllanthus emblica Linn." Indian. J. Pharm., 1959; 21 : 331
- 8. Singh B. N; Sharma, P.V; "Effect of Amalaki on amalapitta. J. Res. Ind. Med., 1971; 5 : 223
