Phyllanthus emblica
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| Indian Gooseberry | ||||||||||||||||||
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| 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, aavalaa (आवळा) in मराठी (Marathi), amla (आँवला) in Hindi, amlaki (আমলকী) in Bengali, Nellikka (നെല്ലിക്ക) in Malayalam language, Nellikkai (ನೆಲ್ಲಿ ಕಾಯಿ/ ಗುಡ್ದದ ನೆಲ್ಲಿ)) in Tamil and Kannada, usiri (ఉసిరి) in Telugu, amala in Nepali language, 'ma kham pom' in Thai, and 'mak kham bom' in Lao.
Plant anatomy and harvesting
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.
Medical research
Indian gooseberry has undergone preliminary research, demonstrating in vitro antiviral and antimicrobial properties.[2] There is preliminary evidence in vitro that its extracts induce apoptosis and modify gene expression in osteoclasts involved in rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis.[3]
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.[4][5][6]
A human pilot study demonstrated reduction of blood cholesterol levels in both normal and hypercholesterolemic men.[7] Another very 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 (ALT) activity.[8]
Although fruits are reputed to contain high amounts of ascorbic acid (vitamin C), 445 mg/100g,[9] the specific contents are disputed and the overall antioxidant strength of amla may derive instead from its high density of tannins and other polyphenols.[10] The fruit also contains flavonoids, kaempferol, ellagic acid and gallic acid.[10][11]
Traditional uses
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.[12] 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).[12] Its qualities (gunas) are light (laghu) and dry (ruksha), the post-digestive effect (vipaka) is sweet (madhura), and its energy (virya) is cooling (shita).[10]
According to Ayurveda, amla is specific to pitta due to its sweet taste and cooling energy.[12] However, amla is thought to balance vata by virtue of its sour taste, and kapha due to its astringent taste and 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).[12] According to Unani System of Medicine the Mizaj of Amla is Sard Khushk so that it is very good remedy for Haar Amraz[Hot Diseases][clarification needed]
In Ayurvedic polyherbal formulations, Indian gooseberry is a common constituent, and most notably is the primary ingredient in an ancient herbal rasayana called Chyawanprash.[10] 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.[13][14]
A jar of South Indian Andhra amla pickle
- 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.[12] Amla shampoos and hair oil are traditionally believed to nourish the hair and scalp and prevent premature grey hair.[citation needed]
Health Capsule - Robust Source of Vitamin C
Gooseberry - an Unique Fruit
Indian Gooseberry or Amla Amlaki or Nellikai (Botanical name Emblica Officinalis of Euphorbiaceae family) is the most popular herb since from the ages of saints and rishis. Ayurveda and Siddha systems of medicine have recognised the importance of this herb. The documentation made by the
ancient physicians of India has recognised that Indian Gooseberry is enriched with Vitamin C. Modern nutritionists equates Amla's most abundant source of Vitamin C with as much as 20 times of an orange. You may be astonished to hear that your gooseberry does not diminish its vitamin C content with cooking. This property makes this fruit more extraordinary. Gooseberry has many other nutritious benefits. Another extraordinary feature of gooseberry is the presence of antioxidants as the main factors of sourcing back your energy. Gooseberry has an excellent antibiotic properties against all kind of viruses like that of Hepatitis, AIDS, Influenza and many others and the herb builds immune system to fight against the vviruses. (wikipedia)
Habitat
Indian Gooseberry, the medium size deciduous tree, is found in tropical regions of Indian subcontinent. Useful parts of gooseberry includes the fresh and dried fruits, the seeds, leaves, root, gray colored bark and flowers and red colored wood. The pale yellow colored gooseberry fruit has depressed globose shape with six vertical furrows.
Nutritional Properties
You might have tasted gooseberry. If not you taste it. You will find that this fruit includes gamut of taste i.e. shows sourness as the foremost taste and also includes salty, astringent, bitter and pungent taste. At the end you will be left with some sweet taste for a longer time. Gooseberry comprises protein, carbohydrates, fiber, Vitamin C and B complex; the minerals mainly include calcium, phosphorus, iron, and carotene. The active ingredient in gooseberry is 'phyllemblin'. It also contains ascorbic acid (Vitamin C), gallic acid (polyphenol), tannin and pectin. It is one of the strongest rejuvenatives among Indian medicinal plants.
The gooseberry reduces unwanted fat and in addition it increases total protein levels; this is due to its ability to create a positive nitrogen balance and it also significantly reduces the levels of free fatty acids. The fruit, in a raw or natural form, reduces cholesterol level, making
it a useful natural product to fight obesity. (John Anne)
Medicinal Properties
Though the physicians find that every part of the tree possesses therapeutic potentials, they are more attached to its fruit since it has amazing rejuvenative properties. It forms an indispensable part of the ayurvedic and unanai medicine. Siddha system of medicine regards this her as 'Kayakalpa'. It is an essential ingredient of various Ayurvedic medicines i.e. Brahma Rasayana, Chyavanprasha and Dashmula. Triphala churana is the famous Ayurvedic preparation comprising equal parts of Chebulic Myrobalans (Hartaki), Belleric Myrobalans (Bibhitaki) and Indian Gooseberry.
It is used for treating fever, liver disorder, anaemia, heart conditions and urinary problems. Due to its strong, cooling and laxative properties it has been widely used in hemorrhage, diarrhea and dysentery.
The gooseberry is one of the most ideal food-medicine for diabetes. It stimulates secretion of natural insulin. It increases red blood cell count and regulates blood sugar. It removes worms. It also acts as an antacid and antitumorganic agent. You can alleviate some of the common ailments through some time-tested decoctions.
Gooseberries are very good for those suffering from respiratory problems. It also prevents infection due to the antibacterial and astringent attributes present in it. It has been widely used for treatment of leucorrhea and atherosclerosis. It is considered as one of the most rejuvenating drugs, imparting a long healthy life and weight gain.
Losing hair? Amla or Indian gooseberry can save you from this. You can either eat amla everyday or apply its paste on your hair roots. First boil six amlas with a cup of milk, till they are soft. Remove the seeds and mash it into a pulp. Apply this paste to your hair roots and leave it for 20 minutes before washing your hair. You can make a good conditioner by mixing Indian gooseberry, shikakai powder and curd
If you want to increase you weight and that too in a healthy manner you should consume more of gooseberry. It helps in balancing nitrogen levels very well which helps in increasing your weight. It helps in increasing protein levels. It is also known to have anabolic effect.
Home Remedy
The gooseberry can be preserved using honey, and thus used throughout the year. Take required number of gooseberries and clean them in running water. Pierce the gooseberries using a sharp stainless steel edge at various spots. Now immerse these pierced gooseberries in a jar full of pure
honey. Cover the mouth of the jar using fine white cloth and place the jar in sunlight for an hour for 15 days. Now the gooseberries are ready ready for consumption throughout the year. Every day morning, after brushing the teeth, take one fruit soaked in honey to improve your effectiveness.
Alternatively a tablespoon each of fresh gooseberry juice and honey mixed together forms a very effective medicine for several ailments. Its regular use will promote vigor in the body within a few days. When fresh fruit is not available, dry powder can be mixed with honey.
A tablespoon of gooseberry juice, mixed with a cup of fresh bitter gourd juice, taken daily for 2 months will reduce the blood sugar in diabetes.
The Indian gooseberry is useful in the treatment of rheumatism. One teaspoonful of powder of dry fruit mixed with two teaspoonfuls of jaggery should be taken twice daily for a month in this disease.
Source:
1. The Amazing Amla Berry Amlaki (Indian Gosseberry) http://healing.about.com/od/herbaltherapy/a/amlaberry.htm
2. John Anne. Amla Herb and Indian Gooseberry (Vitamin C) http://ezinearticles.com/?Amla-Herb-and-Indian-Gooseberry-(Vitamin-C)&id=95684
3. Indian Gooseberry Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_gooseberry
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