The tree is small to medium in size, 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 are 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 six 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 it is quite fibrous. In India, it is common to eat gooseberries steeped in salt water and turmeric to make the sour fruits palatable. It is also used to straighten hair.
Medical research[edit]Indian gooseberry has undergone preliminary research, demonstrating in vitro antiviral and antimicrobial properties. There is preliminary evidence in vitro that its extracts induce apoptosis and modify gene expression in osteoclasts involved in rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis. It may prove to have potential activity against some cancers. One recent animal study found treatment with E. officinalis reduced severity of acute pancreatitis (induced by L-arginine in rats). It also promoted the spontaneous repair and regeneration process of the pancreas occurring after an acute attack.
Experimental preparations of leaves, bark or fruit have shown potential efficacy against laboratory models of disease, such as for inflammation, cancer, age-related renal disease, and diabetes.
A human pilot study demonstrated a reduction of blood cholesterol levels in both normal and hypercholesterolemic men with treatment. Another recent study with alloxan-induced diabetic rats given an aqueous amla fruit extract has shown significant decrease of the blood glucose, as well as triglyceridemic levels and an improvement of the liver function caused by a normalization of the liver-specific enzyme alanine transaminase activity.
Chemical research[edit]Although these fruits are reputed to contain high amounts of ascorbic acid (vitamin C), 445 mg/100g, the specific contents are disputed, and the overall antioxidant strength of amla may derive instead from its high density of ellagitannins such as emblicanin A (37%), emblicanin B (33%), punigluconin (12%) and pedunculagin (14%). It also contains punicafolin and phyllanemblinin A, phyllanemblin other polyphenols: flavonoids, kaempferol, ellagic acid and gallic acid.
The nutrition values of Amala are:
1. moisture, 91.4;
2. mineral matter, 0.7;
3. fiber, 3.4; calorie,
4. 96 (energy);
5. protein, 0.9;
6. fat, 0.1;
7. carbohydrate, 6.9g.
8. calcium, 34;
9. iron, 1.2;
10. vitamin B-1, 0.02;
11. vitamin B-2, 0.08,
12. vitamin C 463 mg. /100gms.
ALTERNATIVE NAMES:
amalika (अमलिक) in Sanskrit
Dhatric (धात्रिक) in Maithili
āmlā (आमला) in Hindi
āmla (આમળાં) in Gujarati
aavnlaa (awla) (or awla) in Urdu
āvaḷā (आवळा) (or awla) in Marathi
ambare (अमबरे) in Garo language
āvāḷo (आवाळो) in Konkani
sunhlu in Mizo
amalā (अमला) in Nepali
amloki (আমলকী) in Bengali
amlakhi in Assamese
anlaa (ଅଁଳା) in Oriya
Aula (ਔਲਾ) in Punjabi
nellikka (നെല്ലിക്ക) in Malayalam
heikru in Manipuri
halïlaj or ihlïlaj (اهليلج هليلج) in Arabic
sohmylleng in Khasi
rasi usiri ( రాశి ఉసిరి కాయ) (or rasi usirikai ) in Telugu
nellikkai (நெல்லிக்காய்/ ನೆಲ್ಲಿ ಕಾಯಿ/ ಗುಡ್ದದ ನೆಲ್ಲಿ) nellikkaai or nellikaayi) in Tamil and Kannada
nelli (නෙල්ලි) in Sinhala
mak kham bom in Lao
ma kham pom (มะขามป้อม) in Thai
anmole (庵摩勒) in Chinese
Kantout Prei (កន្ទួតព្រៃ) in Khmer
skyu ru ra (སྐྱུ་རུ་ར་) in Tibetan
melaka in Malay, A state in Malaysia, Malacca was named after this tree.
zee phyu thee (ဆီးၿဖဴသီး) in Myanmar
USES:
Also found are the names emblic, emblic myrobalan, malacca tree and the variants in spelling aola, ammalaki, aamvala, aawallaa, dharty, nillika, and nellikya
Traditional uses of amlaki[edit]Medicinal use In traditional Indian medicine, dried and fresh fruits of the plant are used. All parts of the plant are used in various Ayurvedic/Unani medicine (Jawarish amla) herbal preparations, including the fruit, seed, leaves, root, bark and flowers. According to Ayurveda, aamla fruit is sour (amla) and astringent (kashaya) in taste (rasa), with sweet (madhura), bitter (tikta) and pungent (katu) secondary tastes (anurasas). Its qualities (gunas) are light (laghu) and dry (ruksha), the postdigestive effect (vipaka) is sweet (madhura), and its energy (virya) is cooling (shita).
According to Ayurveda, aamla balances all three doshas. While aamla is unusual in that it contains five out of the six tastes recognized by Ayurved, it is most important to recognize the effects of the "virya", or potency, and "vipaka", or post-digestive effect. Considered in this light, aamla is particularly helpful in reducing pitta due to its cooling energy. and balances both Pitta and vata by virtue of its sweet taste. The kapha is balanced primarily due to its drying action. 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).
In Ayurvedic polyherbal formulations, Indian gooseberry is a common constituent, and most notably is the primary ingredient in an ancient herbal rasayana called Chyawanprash. 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 rejuvenative compound.
A jar of South Indian Andhra amla pickleIn Chinese traditional therapy, this fruit is called yuganzi (余甘子), which is used to cure throat inflammation.
Emblica officinalis tea may ameliorate diabetic neuropathy. In rats it significantly reduced blood glucose, food intake, water intake and urine output in diabetic rats compared with the non‐ diabetic control group.
Culinary use Particularly in South India, the fruit is pickled with salt, oil, and spices. Aamla is eaten raw or cooked into various dishes. In Andhra Pradesh, tender varieties are used to prepare dal (a lentil preparation), and amle ka murabbah, a sweet dish indigenous to the northern part of India (wherein the berries are soaked in sugar syrup for a long time till they are imparted the sweet flavor); it is traditionally consumed after meals.
Other uses Popularly used in inks, shampoos and hair oils, the high tannin content of Indian gooseberry fruit serves as a mordant for fixing dyes in fabrics. Amla shampoos and hair oil are traditionally believed to nourish the hair and scalp and prevent premature grey hair.[citation needed
Health benefits, advantages of Amla.
1. Amla is a vrishya herb, which means that it enhances all the seven tissues (dhatus), including the reproductive tissue.
2. Amla is useful in treating skin diseases. it has sheet virya in potency. It inhibits pitta and thus helps in getting relief from all the skin disorders caused by pitta .
3. Scientists at the Ferrara University in Italy have found that amla extracts slow the activity of osteoclasts, the cells that break down bone.
4. Amla powder helps to clear pimples and acne
5. Amla prevents health related hyperlipidaemia through attenuating oxidative stress in the ageing process.
6. Applying the paste of ground seeds of Amla mixed with lemon- especially on the roots of the hair and washing after half an hour will clear the lices from the hair.
7. It enriches hair growth and hair pigmentation. It strengthens roots of hair, maintains color.
8. Amla powder prevents dandruff
9. Amla Protects the body from radiation
10. It helps in chronic cough, child hood, tuberculosis and allergic asthma .
11. Taking Amla juice with honey is good for improving eyesight.
12. Amla is rich in antibacterial qualities; it helps the body fight better against infection and also builds up your immunity, which makes you more resistant to diseases.
13. Amla stimulate the isolated group of cells that secrete the hormone insulin. Thus it reduces blood sugar in diabetic patient. Amla Juice with a pinch of turmeric twice a day before each meal.
14. Amla strengthens heart muscles.
15. It improves body resistance.
16. Due to its strong, cooling and laxative properties Amla is useful for remedies for diarrhea and dysentery. The dried Amla fruit is astringent and useful in cases of diarrhea and dysentery.
17. Amla helps to get relief for gastric syndrome and hyperchlorhydria (burning sensation in abdomen).
18. fever
19. liver disorder , Amla is excellent live tonic
20. If you take powder of Amlaki mixed with sugar in milk, about two time everyday, you will be cured of acidity completely.
21. The application of a small quantity of Amla oil to the head before bathing removes diseases of the eyes, night blindness and bilious giddiness
22. Indigestion - Dried Amla is an excellent digestive, which can be consumed after meals.
23. Taking fresh Amla juice with half tsp of ghee and 1 tsp. of honey and 100 gms. of milk-after lunch helps in curing piles problem.
24. anemia
25. It provides nourishment to the nerves and is helpful in paralytic situation.
26. urinary problems
27. respiratory problems
28. cerebral, gastro
29. cardiovascular illness
30. It lowers cholesterol level.
31. Amla juice or powder with honey purifies blood.
32. It increases red blood cell production
33. Amla increases Hemoglobin.
34. Amla strengthens teeth and nails.
35. Amla helps to reduce menstrual disorders. Keeps it regular.
36. It also acts as anti-inflammatory agent thereby suppresses swelling and pain.
37. Amla confection is used in syphilis, flatulence, bronchitis, asthma and consumption.
38. To prevent or cure diabetes take a fresh one-fourth cup of Amla or a tea spoon of Amla powder with a tea spoon of turmeric powder everyday.
39. Amla is rich in chromium, which makes it very beneficial for diabetics.
40. Amla and the Jamun fruit are mixed together, this mixture when taken in a teaspoon two time a day, can help in curing diabetes.
41. To get relief from acidity, mix one gram of amla powder with some sugar and add it to a glass of water drink it twice a day.
42. It supports strength of heart and lungs.
43. Amla is good for Brain. To revitalize brain take a cupful of sugarless milk with the murabba of Amla.
44. Amla helps to improve memory
45. Taking Amla powder with radish helps in checking stone in bladder by breaking the stones and throwing it out with urine.
46. Amla is helpful in lowering cholesterol and blood sugar level.
47. Amla with honey every day for one mouth cures the problem of leucorrhoea.
48. Amla also helps boost protein metabolism. As amla enhances metabolism, it helps you lose weight faster.
49. Amla supports the reproductive systems of both men and women and can help overcome difficulty in conceiving.
50. Amla revitalizes the semen. It helps in improving quality of sperms due to its sweet vipaka property.
According to U.S. RDA, daily intake of dietary vitamin C is as below:
1. Infants (age below 1 year): 30 to 35 mg
2. Children (age 1 to 14 years): 40 to 50 mg
3. Adolescent (age 15 to 18 years): 65 to 75 mg
4. Men (age over 18 years): 90 mg
5. Women (age over 18 years): 75 mg
