The
Indian gooseberry (Emblica officinalisor Phyllanthus emblica) 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 in Bengali, amba in Nepal Bhasa, 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.
Medicine
For medicinal purposes dried and fresh fruits of the plant are
used. Amla fruit is sour and astringent in primary taste,with
sweet, bitter and pungent secondary tastes, and is cooling in
action. It is light and dry. [2] It is a rasayana tonic that
promotes longevity, and is especially good for the heart. It
strengthen the lungs, helping to fight chronic lung problems as
well as upper respiratory infections. [3]The fruit allegedly
contains 720 mg of vitamin C per 100 g of fresh fruit pulp, or
up to 900 mg per 100 g of pressed juice. Apart from this it also
contains tannins; a reason why even dried form retains most of
the vitamin content. The fruit is an adaptogen which means it is
a food grade, nontoxic herb that normalizes body function,
balances the neuroendocrine system and improves immunity. In
Ayurveda the fruit alone is considered a rasayana for pitta.[4]
The fruit contains a series of diterpenes referred to as the
gibberellins, as well as the triterpene lupeol, flavonoids (e.g.
kaempherol-3-O-ß-Dglucoside, quercetin-3-O-ß-Dglucoside), and
polyphenols (e.g. emblicanin A and B,punigluconin and
pedunculagin). Also present are the phyllantine and zeatin
alkaloids, and a number of benzenoids including amlaic acid,
corilagin, ellagic acid, 3-6-di-O-galloyl-glucose, ethyl gallate,
1,6-di-O-galloyl-ß-Dglucose, 1-di-O-galloyl-ß-Dglucose,
putranjivain A, digallic acid, phyllemblic acid, emblicol, and
alactaric acid.[5]
Particularly in Southern India, the fruit is pickled with salt,
oil, and spices, and also used as a primary ingredient in the
Ayurvedic rasayana (5) tonic Chyawanprash and in the nourishing
laxative triphala where it is mixed with chebulic and belleric
myrobalans. The Caraka Samhita, the main text of Ayurvedic
herbal medicine, describes emblic and chebulic myrobalans as
possessing the same virtues, though they have slightly different
nature:
They have healing virtues and are auspicious (used in sacred and
ceremonial occasions). They restore the faults (doshas) to their
normal course. They are light (as food). They enkindle digestive
fire, and are good pacanas (digestive aids). They promote
longevity and induce nourishment. They deserve every praise (for
the virtues they possess). They prevent the effects of age more
than any other drug. They alleviate all varieties of ailments,
and impart strength to the intellect and the senses. They
quickly conquer vitiligo, abdominal tumors, flatulence,
dropsical swellings (edema), chlorosis, alcoholism, piles,
ailments of the grahani (duodenum), chronic intermittent fever,
diseases of the chest, diseases of the head, diarrhea, disgust
for food, cough, gonorrhea, epistasis, enlargement of the
spleen, abdominal dropsy when new, discharge of phlegm matter,
hoarseness of the voice, discoloration or loss of complexion,
anemia, intestinal worms, waste of dhatus (main body
components), some forms of asthma, vomiting, loss of virility,
weakness of the limbs, blockage of ducts of various kinds,
sensation like a wet blanket covering the chest, a similar
sensation in the heart, and dullness of the memory and
understanding. Those who are suffering from indigestion, those
who habitually take dry food and drink, those who have been
weakened by sexual indulgence and wine and poisons, and those
who are afflicted by hunger and thirst and heat, should eat
myrobalans.
Courtesy of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_gooseberry
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