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Revision as of 19:29, 28 February 2023 editSkansimsr (talk | contribs)9 edits →Chemical constituents: Phyllanthus emblica L. (also popularly known as amla) is a tree native to the India and Southeast Asia regions that produces fruits rich in bioactive compounds that could be explored as part of the increasing interest in naturally occurring compounds with biological activity. Thus, this review aims to highlight the nutritional aspects, rich phytochemistry and health-promoting effects of amla. Scientific evidence indicates that polyphenols are central components in fruTags: Reverted possible vandalism use of deprecated (unreliable) source← Previous edit Latest revision as of 03:01, 21 December 2024 edit undoSalil Kumar Mukherjee (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users520 edits →Image 
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{{Short description|Berry and plant}} {{Short description|Berry and plant}}
{{For|other plants called gooseberry|List of gooseberries}} {{For|other plants called gooseberry|List of gooseberries}}
{{redirect|Amloki|the TV series|Amloki (TV series)}}
{{speciesbox {{speciesbox
|image = Phyllanthus_officinalis.jpg |image = Phyllanthus_officinalis.jpg
|image_caption = Plant |image_caption = Plant
|image2 = Phyllanthus emblica BNC.jpg |image2 = Phyllanthus emblica - whole and cross section.jpg
|image2_caption = Fruit |image2_caption = Fruit, whole and halved
|status = LC |status = LC
|status_system = IUCN3.1 |status_system = IUCN3.1
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*''Phyllanthus taxifolius'' <small>D.Don</small> *''Phyllanthus taxifolius'' <small>D.Don</small>
}} }}
|synonyms_ref = <ref name="WFO">{{cite web |url=http://www.worldfloraonline.org/taxon/wfo-0000270932 |title=''Phyllanthus emblica'' L. |date=2023 |website=World Flora Online |publisher=World Flora Consortium |access-date=25 April 2023 |archive-date=20 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230520151555/http://www.worldfloraonline.org/taxon/wfo-0000270932 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="POWO">{{Cite web |title=''Phyllanthus emblica'' L. |url=http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:353838-1 |website=Plants of the World Online |language=en |publisher=Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew |access-date=30 June 2022 |archive-date=1 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220601185702/https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:353838-1 |url-status=live }}</ref>
|synonyms_ref = <ref>{{cite web

|url=http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl1.1/record/kew-153790
|title=The Plant List: A Working List of All Plant Species
|access-date=14 July 2014}}</ref>
}} }}


'''''Phyllanthus emblica''''', also known as '''emblic''',<ref name=GRIN/><ref name=Lim>{{cite book|author=Lim, T.K. |date=2012 |title= Edible Medicinal And Non-Medicinal Plants |url=https://archive.org/details/ediblemedicinaln00limt_997 |url-access=limited |chapter=''Phyllanthus emblica'' |publisher=Springer Netherlands |pages= –296 |doi=10.1007/978-94-007-4053-2_37 |isbn=9789400740525 }}</ref> '''emblic myrobalan''',<ref name=GRIN/> '''myrobalan''',<ref name=Lim/> '''Indian gooseberry''',<ref name=GRIN/><ref name=Lim/> '''Malacca tree''',<ref name=Lim/> or '''amla''',<ref name=Lim/> from the Sanskrit आमलकी ('''āmalakī'''), is a ] tree of the family ]. Its native range is tropical and ].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Phyllanthus emblica L. {{!}} Plants of the World Online {{!}} Kew Science |url=http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:353838-1 |access-date=2022-06-30 |website=Plants of the World Online |language=en}}</ref> '''''Phyllanthus emblica''''', also known as '''emblic''',<ref name=GRIN/><ref name=Lim>{{cite book|author=Lim, T.K. |date=2012 |title= Edible Medicinal And Non-Medicinal Plants |url=https://archive.org/details/ediblemedicinaln00limt_997 |url-access=limited |chapter=''Phyllanthus emblica'' |publisher=Springer Netherlands |pages= –296 |doi=10.1007/978-94-007-4053-2_37 |isbn=9789400740525 }}</ref> '''emblic myrobalan''',<ref name=GRIN/> '''myrobalan''',<ref name=Lim/> '''Indian gooseberry''',<ref name=GRIN/><ref name=Lim/> '''Malacca tree''',<ref name=Lim/> or '''amla''',<ref name=Lim/> is a ] tree of the family ]. Its native range is tropical and ].<ref name="POWO"/>


== Description ==
==Plant morphology and harvesting==
⚫ The tree is small to medium in size, reaching {{convert|1-8|m|ft|abbr=off|frac=2}} in height. The bark is mottled. The branchlets are finely pubescent (not ]), {{convert|10–20|cm|abbr=off|frac=2}} long, usually deciduous. The ] are simple, ] and closely set along branchlets, light green, resembling ] 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. The fruit is up to {{convert|26|mm|abbr=|frac=2}} in diameter, and, while the fruit of wild plants weigh approximately {{convert|5.5|g|4=1|abbr=off}}, cultivated fruits average {{convert|28.4|g|4=0|abbr=on}} to {{convert|56|g|4=0|abbr=on}}.<ref>Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5</ref>
⚫ ]
]
⚫ The tree is small to medium in size, reaching {{convert|1-8|m|abbr=on}} in height. The branchlets are not glabrous or finely pubescent, {{convert|10–20|cm|abbr=on}} 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. The fruit is up to {{convert|26|mm|abbr=on}} in diameter, and, while the fruit of wild plants weigh approximately {{convert|5.5|g|abbr=on}}, cultivated fruits average {{convert|28.4|g|abbr=on}} to {{convert|56|g|abbr=on}}<ref>Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5</ref>


{{gallery|mode=packed
⚫ Ripening in autumn, the berries are harvested by hand after climbing to upper branches bearing the fruits. The taste of Indian emblic is sour, bitter and astringent, and it is quite fibrous.
⚫ |Indian gooseberry bark.jpg|Trunk and main branches

⚫ |Indian gooseberry (Phyllanthus emblica syn Emblica officinalis) new leaves at Jayanti, Duars, West Bengal W Picture 039.jpg|Leaves
==Buddhist symbolism==
⚫ |Indian gooseberry (Phyllanthus emblica syn Emblica officinalis) at Jayanti, Duars, West Bengal W Picture 045.jpg|Budding and flowers
⚫ In the Buddhist tradition there are many references to the fruit of the emblic myrobalan. In the Śatapañcāśatka, Buddha’s knowledge is described in a poetic simile: “O Bhagavan, the entire origination of all types of phenomena throughout time is within the range of your mind, like an ambalan fruit in the palm of your hand”.<ref>Chen, K. (1952). The Śatapañcāśatka of Mātrceta: Sanskrit Text, Tibetan translation and commentary, and Chinese translation. Edited by D. R. Shackleton Bailey, with an introduction, English translation and notes. Cambridge: The University Press, 1951. xi, 237 p. The Far Eastern Quarterly, 11(3), 408-410. {{doi|10.2307/2049590}}.</ref>
⚫ |油甘果實.jpg|Fruits

⚫ |Amala in Madhya Pradesh 4.jpg|Fruit size comparison
⚫ Half an ] fruit was the final gift to the Buddhist '']'' by the great Indian emperor ]. This is illustrated in the ] in the following verses: "A great donor, the lord of men, the eminent Maurya Ashoka, has gone from being lord of Jambudvipa to being lord of half a myrobalan".<ref>] (1983) ''The Legend of King Ashoka''. New York: Princeton University Press. p. 99.</ref> In ], this plant is said to have been used as the tree for achieving enlightenment, or ], by the twenty first ], named ].<ref></ref>
⚫ |油甘果種子.jpg|Seed close-up

}}
⚫ == Traditional uses ==


===Culinary use=== ===Chemical constituents===
⚫ The fruits contain high amounts of ] (vitamin C),<ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=Tarwadi K, Agte V |title=Antioxidant and micronutrient potential of common fruits available in the Indian subcontinent |journal=Int J Food Sci Nutr |volume=58 |issue=5 |pages=341–9 |date=Aug 2007 |pmid=17558726 |doi=10.1080/09637480701243905 |s2cid=7663752 }}</ref> and have a ] that may derive from a high density of ]s,<ref name=dharm>{{cite web|author=Dharmananda S|title=''Emblic myrobalans'' (Amla)|publisher=Institute of Traditional Medicine|url=http://www.itmonline.org/arts/amla.htm|date=September 2003|access-date=2006-02-07|archive-date=2005-09-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050901135329/http://www.itmonline.org/arts/amla.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> such as ] A (37%), emblicanin B (33%), ] (12%), and ] (14%).<ref>{{Cite journal
⚫ ]
⚫ The amla fruit is eaten raw or cooked into various dishes, such as '']'' (a lentil preparation) and ''amle ka murabbah'', a sweet dish made by soaking the berries in sugar syrup until they are candied. It is traditionally consumed after meals.{{cn|date=October 2020}}

⚫ In the ] area of ], Indonesia, the inner bark is used to impart an astringent, bitter taste to the broth of a traditional fish soup known as ''holat''.<ref>{{cite book|last1=de Clercq|first1=F. S. A.|title=Nieuw Plantkundig Woordenboek voor Nederlandsch Indië|url=https://archive.org/details/nieuwplantkundig00cler|date=1909|publisher=J. H. de Bussy|location=Amsterdam|page=}}</ref>

===Traditional medicine===
⚫ In ], dried and fresh fruits of the plant are used as a common constituent.<ref name=dharm/><ref>Indian Ministry of Health and Family Planning. The Ayurvedic Formulary of India. Part I. 1st ed. Delhi, 1978.</ref>

==Chemical constituents==
⚫ These fruits contain high amounts of ] (vitamin C),<ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=Tarwadi K, Agte V |title=Antioxidant and micronutrient potential of common fruits available in the Indian subcontinent |journal=Int J Food Sci Nutr |volume=58 |issue=5 |pages=341–9 |date=Aug 2007 |pmid=17558726 |doi=10.1080/09637480701243905 |s2cid=7663752 }}</ref> and have a ] that may derive from a high density of ]s,<ref name=dharm>{{cite web|author=Dharmananda S|title= ''Emblic myrobalans'' (Amla)|publisher=Institute of Traditional Medicine|url=http://www.itmonline.org/arts/amla.htm|date=September 2003}}</ref> such as ] A (37%), emblicanin B (33%), ] (12%), and ] (14%).<ref>{{Cite journal
| last1 = Bhattacharya | first1 = A. | last1 = Bhattacharya | first1 = A.
| last2 = Chatterjee | first2 = A. | last2 = Chatterjee | first2 = A.
Line 69: Line 57:
| pmid = 10522157 | pmid = 10522157
}}</ref> Amla also contains ] and phyllanemblinin A, phyllanemblin other ]s, such as ]s, ], ], and ].<ref name=dharm/><ref>{{cite journal |author1=Habib-ur-Rehman |author2=Yasin KA |author3=Choudhary MA |title=Studies on the chemical constituents of Phyllanthus emblica |journal=Nat. Prod. Res. |volume=21 |issue=9 |pages=775–81 |date=Jul 2007 |pmid=17763100 |doi=10.1080/14786410601124664 |s2cid=30716746 |display-authors=etal}}</ref> }}</ref> Amla also contains ] and phyllanemblinin A, phyllanemblin other ]s, such as ]s, ], ], and ].<ref name=dharm/><ref>{{cite journal |author1=Habib-ur-Rehman |author2=Yasin KA |author3=Choudhary MA |title=Studies on the chemical constituents of Phyllanthus emblica |journal=Nat. Prod. Res. |volume=21 |issue=9 |pages=775–81 |date=Jul 2007 |pmid=17763100 |doi=10.1080/14786410601124664 |s2cid=30716746 |display-authors=etal}}</ref>
Phyllanthus emblica L. (popular known as amla or Indian gooseberry) is an ephemeral tree belonging to the Euphorbiaceae family. Amla fruits are edible and are mainly found in regions of India, Southeast Asia, China, Iran, and Pakistan. Amla has an important role in the traditional medicine of India to reduce anxiety and burning sensation in skin and eyes, improve anemic condition, favor the health of the male reproductive system and reproduction, facilitate digestion, improve liver health, and also exert a tonic effect in the cardiovascular system.


== Uses ==
The fruit of P. emblica L. is one of the most popular botanicals, with a wide range of uses in the medicinal, cuisine, and cosmetic industries. This is the first tree to be “produced in the universe”, according to ancient Indian mythology. It is a great nutritional supplement with several medicinal benefits. Due to the abundance of phenolic compounds, Emblic fruit could be regarded as a plant source for natural antioxidants and nutraceuticals or medicinal components. Consumers like Emblic fruit because of its unique flavor and pleasant smell. In various animal and human investigations, amla has been proven to have anti-hyperglycemic, hypoglycemic, anti-inflammatory, anti-hyperlipidemic, and antioxidant activities. Amla is rich in antioxidants such as gallic acid, ascorbic acid and phenolic compounds and thus helps the body’s immune systems and digestion. Thus, due to the increasing interest and the potential of P. emblica L., this review aims to provide an overview of the nutritional composition, phytochemistry and potential health benefits associated with the consumption of phytochemicals naturally found in amla.
⚫ Ripening in autumn, the berries are harvested by hand after climbing to upper branches bearing the fruits. The taste of Indian emblic is sour, bitter and astringent, and it is quite fibrous.


===Culinary===
Potential Health Benefits
⚫ The amla fruit may be eaten raw or cooked, and in ], the fruit is often ] with salt, oil, and spices. It is used as an ingredient in dishes including '']'' (a lentil preparation), and is also made into ''amle ka ]'', a sweet dish made by soaking the berries in sugar syrup until they are candied. It is traditionally consumed after meals.{{cn|date=October 2020}}
1. Antioxidant Activity-<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/search/?title=Phyllanthus_emblica&action=edit&section=6</ref>
Diverse in vitro, in vivo, and human studies support the antioxidant activity of P. emblica L. components. In the case of in vitro studies, the content of polyphenols in this fruit has also been associated with high antioxidant activity, particularly with the capacity to scavenge free radicals such as the 1,1-diphenyl, 2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical. Other studies also reported the antioxidant activity of amla phytochemicals by 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) and NO radical scavenging methods, the Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) , and LDL oxidation assay method. Additionally, amla polyphenols can also scavenge superoxide anion and hydroxyl free radicals as well as chelated iron.
2. Cardioprotective Activity<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/search/?title=Phyllanthus_emblica&action=edit&section=6</ref>
Different studies have been shown the protective effects of amla and/or its constituents against cardiovascular diseases. One example is the study conducted by Nambiar and Shetty who studied the effect of amla juice (myricetin, gallic acid, and kaempferol as main polyphenols) on low-density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation. According to the authors, limited the uptake of LDL oxidation in macrophages and LDL cholesterol oxidation was reduced by 90%. Another study indicated that amla polyphenols (emblicanin A and B, punigluconin, and pedunculagin) limited fibrosis formation in cardiovascular tissue of mice subjected to schemia and reperfusion.
Madan et al. tested the effect of amla supplementation in beetal kids and observed reductions in the levels of LDL, cholesterol, and blood glucose to the non-supplemented group. Another experiment showed that hydroalcoholic amla extract reduced the arterial mean blood pressure, and serum sodium levels and aided to increase the potassium levels in deoxy-corticosterone acetate salt-induced hypertensive mice. This study also indicated that P. emblica L. regulated the endogenous antioxidant system, eNOS, activation of serum nitric oxide (NO), and serum electrolytes level.


⚫ In the ] area of ], Indonesia, the inner bark is used to impart an astringent, bitter taste to the broth of a traditional fish soup known as ''holat''.<ref>{{cite book|last1=de Clercq|first1=F. S. A.|title=Nieuw Plantkundig Woordenboek voor Nederlandsch Indië|url=https://archive.org/details/nieuwplantkundig00cler|date=1909|publisher=J. H. de Bussy|location=Amsterdam|page=}}</ref>
The polyphenol-rich extracts of P. emblica L. reduced metabolic changes caused by excessive fructose consumption (alteration of triglyceride total cholesterol levels and sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1 (SREBP-1) expression) in an animal model. P. emblica L. (containing gallic acid, chebulagic acid, geraniin, ellagic acid, and corilagin) reduced and even inhibited the enhanced mitochondrial COX-2, MDA, and Bax expressions in the liver and regulated Bcl-2 expression, but peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors-α (PPARα) and SREBP-2 expressions were unaffected. In another experiment, polyphenol-rich P. emblica L. extract also increased PPARα protein (involved in the regulation of cholesterol and lipid metabolism) expression and decreased cholesterol levels in mice. Similarly, a related study carried out with mice that consumed amla juice (2 mL/kg/day; rich in gallic acid) indicated the activation of PPARα and carnitine palmitoyl transferase (involved in lipid oxidation). Another interesting outcome of this study was the reduction in the activity of liver enzymes involved in lipogenesis (malic enzyme, fatty acid synthase, and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase). However, another study with mice in a high-fat diet (30%), indicated that P. emblica L. ethanolic extract reduced the serum triglycerides but no effects were observed in LDL, very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL), or high-density lipoprotein (HDL) serum levels.
3. Antidiabetic Activity<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/search/?title=Phyllanthus_emblica&action=edit&section=6</ref>
The compounds naturally found in P. emblica L. have been associated with protective effects against diabetes. An in vitro study indicated that the activity of the main phytochemicals found in amla (such as ellagic acid and ascorbic acid) reduced the activity of key enzymes involved in glucose digestion (especially amylase and glucosidase)
4. Anticancer Activity
Plant-derived polyphenols have been found to improve the protection against cancer in a variety of nonclinical and clinical investigations. Specifically, polyphenols inhibit oxidative stress, produce pro-inflammatory chemicals, prevent DNA damage, and increase apoptosis through various mechanisms. Particularly for amla extracts, DNA fragmentation, increased activity of caspase-3, 7, and 8, and up-regulation of Fas protein were observed in the HeLa cell line, indicating activation of the death receptor pathway for apoptosis, whereas caspase-9 remained unaltered. This study also indicated that P. emblica L. decreased the invasiveness of MDA-MB-231 cells (in vitro Matrigel invasion study), and no cytotoxicity was seen in normal lung fibroblasts (MRC5). Likewise, pyrogallol (a polyphenol found in P. emblica L.) was investigated in human lung cancer cell lines H441 and H520. Pyrogallol’s anti-proliferative effect was achieved via cell arrest in the G2/M phase, which was caused by a drop in cyclin B1, cdc25c, and Bcl-2, as well as an increase in Bax expression. However, the evidence supporting the anticancer activity of amla polyphenols is limited and more efforts are still necessary to clarify the mechanisms involved and explored the effects at the animal level and expand the current knowledge.
5. Anti-Inflammatory Activity
Amla phytochemistry seems to promote a beneficial effect in the context of inflammation, but current evidence is limited.<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/search/?title=Phyllanthus_emblica&action=edit&section=6</ref>
6. Digestive Tract Protection<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/search/?title=Phyllanthus_emblica&action=edit&section=6</ref>
7. Neurological Protection<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/search/?title=Phyllanthus_emblica&action=edit&section=6</ref>


{{gallery|mode=packed
==Gallery==
⚫ |Indian gooseberry pickle.png|Indian gooseberry pickle
<gallery>
⚫ |Amla juice.jpg|Amla juice
⚫ File:Lingaraj Temple, Bhubaneswar (4) - Oct 2010.jpg|Amla at the top of the ] in ]
|Amla pickle.jpg|Amla pickle
⚫ File:Buddha statue holding a myrobalan.jpg|Hand of a standing ] holding a myrobalan
}}
⚫ File:油甘果種子.jpg|Seed
⚫ File:油甘果實.jpg|Fruits
⚫ File:Indian gooseberry (Phyllanthus emblica syn Emblica officinalis) new leaves at Jayanti, Duars, West Bengal W Picture 039.jpg|Leaves
⚫ File:Indian gooseberry bark.jpg|Trunk and main branches, highlighting mottled bark
⚫ File:Amla juice.jpg|Amla juice
⚫ Amala in Madhya Pradesh 2.jpg|Amala in ] Madhya Pradesh
⚫ Amala in Madhya Pradesh 4.jpg|Amala Size comparison


⚫ ===Traditional medicine===
⚫ In ], dried and fresh fruits of the plant are used as a common constituent.<ref name=dharm/><ref>Indian Ministry of Health and Family Planning. The Ayurvedic Formulary of India. Part I. 1st ed. Delhi, 1978.</ref>


==In culture==
</gallery>
⚫ In the Buddhist tradition there are many references to the fruit of the emblic myrobalan. In the {{Transliteration|sa|Śatapañcāśatka}}, Buddha's knowledge is described in a poetic simile: "O Bhagavan, the entire origination of all types of phenomena throughout time is within the range of your mind, like an ambalan fruit in the palm of your hand".<ref>Chen, K. (1952). The Śatapañcāśatka of Mātrceta: Sanskrit Text, Tibetan translation and commentary, and Chinese translation. Edited by D. R. Shackleton Bailey, with an introduction, English translation and notes. Cambridge: The University Press, 1951. xi, 237 p. The Far Eastern Quarterly, 11(3), 408–410. {{doi|10.2307/2049590}}.</ref>

⚫ Half an amla fruit was the final gift to the Buddhist '']'' by the great Indian emperor ]. This is illustrated in the ] in the following verses: "A great donor, the lord of men, the eminent Maurya Ashoka, has gone from being lord of Jambudvipa to being lord of half a myrobalan".<ref>] (1983) ''The Legend of King Ashoka''. New York: Princeton University Press. p. 99.</ref> In ], this plant is said to have been used as the tree for achieving enlightenment, or ], by the twenty-first ], named ].<ref></ref>

In Hinduism, the myrobalan, called the ''āmalaka'' in ], is sacred to all three members of the ], the Hindu supreme trinity of ], ], and ]. According to legend, during a religious gathering, ], Vishnu's consort, expressed a desire to worship Shiva, while ], Shiva's consort, wished to worship Vishnu. Moved by each other's piety, they shed tears upon the earth, from which emerged the first myrobalan trees.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Elgood |first=Heather |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cj2tAwAAQBAJ&dq=Amalaka+Vishnu&pg=PA114 |title=Hinduism and the Religious Arts |date=2000-04-01 |publisher=A&C Black |isbn=978-0-304-70739-3 |pages=114 |language=en}}</ref> The ] is a Hindu occasion dedicated to Vishnu, venerating the myrobalan.

{{gallery|mode=packed
⚫ |Lingaraj Temple, Bhubaneswar (4) - Oct 2010.jpg|] at the top of the ] in ]
⚫ |Buddha statue holding a myrobalan.jpg|Hand of a standing ] holding a myrobalan
⚫ |Amala in Madhya Pradesh 2.jpg|Amala in ] Madhya Pradesh
}}


==See also== ==See also==
* ] * ]
* ], an Ayurvedic mixture containing amla * ], an ] mixture containing amla.


==References== ==References==
Line 123: Line 106:
] ]
] ]
]
] ]
] ]

Latest revision as of 03:01, 21 December 2024

Berry and plant For other plants called gooseberry, see List of gooseberries. "Amloki" redirects here. For the TV series, see Amloki (TV series).

Phyllanthus emblica
Plant
Fruit, whole and halved
Conservation status

Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Malpighiales
Family: Phyllanthaceae
Genus: Phyllanthus
Species: P. emblica
Binomial name
Phyllanthus emblica
L.
Synonyms
  • Cicca emblica (L.) Kurz
  • Diasperus emblica (L.) Kuntze
  • Dichelactina nodicaulis Hance
  • Emblica arborea Raf.
  • Emblica officinalis Gaertn.
  • Phyllanthus glomeratus Roxb. ex Wall. nom. inval.
  • Phyllanthus mairei H.Lév.
  • Phyllanthus mimosifolius Salisb.
  • Phyllanthus taxifolius D.Don

Phyllanthus emblica, also known as emblic, emblic myrobalan, myrobalan, Indian gooseberry, Malacca tree, or amla, is a deciduous tree of the family Phyllanthaceae. Its native range is tropical and southern Asia.

Description

The tree is small to medium in size, reaching 1–8 metres (3+1⁄2–26 feet) in height. The bark is mottled. The branchlets are finely pubescent (not glabrous), 10–20 centimetres (4–8 inches) 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. The fruit is up to 26 millimetres (1 in) in diameter, and, while the fruit of wild plants weigh approximately 5.5 grams (0.2 ounces), cultivated fruits average 28.4 g (1 oz) to 56 g (2 oz).

  • Trunk and main branches Trunk and main branches
  • Leaves Leaves
  • Budding and flowers Budding and flowers
  • Fruits Fruits
  • Fruit size comparison Fruit size comparison
  • Seed close-up Seed close-up

Chemical constituents

The fruits contain high amounts of ascorbic acid (vitamin C), and have a bitter taste that may derive from a high density of ellagitannins, such as emblicanin A (37%), emblicanin B (33%), punigluconin (12%), and pedunculagin (14%). Amla also contains punicafolin and phyllanemblinin A, phyllanemblin other polyphenols, such as flavonoids, kaempferol, ellagic acid, and gallic acid.

Uses

Ripening in autumn, the berries are harvested by hand after climbing to upper branches bearing the fruits. The taste of Indian emblic is sour, bitter and astringent, and it is quite fibrous.

Culinary

The amla fruit may be eaten raw or cooked, and in South Asia, the fruit is often pickled with salt, oil, and spices. It is used as an ingredient in dishes including dal (a lentil preparation), and is also made into amle ka murabbah, a sweet dish made by soaking the berries in sugar syrup until they are candied. It is traditionally consumed after meals.

In the Batak area of Sumatra, Indonesia, the inner bark is used to impart an astringent, bitter taste to the broth of a traditional fish soup known as holat.

  • Indian gooseberry pickle Indian gooseberry pickle
  • Amla juice Amla juice
  • Amla pickle Amla pickle

Traditional medicine

In Ayurveda, dried and fresh fruits of the plant are used as a common constituent.

In culture

In the Buddhist tradition there are many references to the fruit of the emblic myrobalan. In the Śatapañcāśatka, Buddha's knowledge is described in a poetic simile: "O Bhagavan, the entire origination of all types of phenomena throughout time is within the range of your mind, like an ambalan fruit in the palm of your hand".

Half an amla fruit was the final gift to the Buddhist sangha by the great Indian emperor Ashoka. This is illustrated in the Ashokavadana in the following verses: "A great donor, the lord of men, the eminent Maurya Ashoka, has gone from being lord of Jambudvipa to being lord of half a myrobalan". In Theravada Buddhism, this plant is said to have been used as the tree for achieving enlightenment, or Bodhi, by the twenty-first Buddha, named Phussa Buddha.

In Hinduism, the myrobalan, called the āmalaka in Sanskrit, is sacred to all three members of the Trimurti, the Hindu supreme trinity of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. According to legend, during a religious gathering, Lakshmi, Vishnu's consort, expressed a desire to worship Shiva, while Parvati, Shiva's consort, wished to worship Vishnu. Moved by each other's piety, they shed tears upon the earth, from which emerged the first myrobalan trees. The Amalaka Ekadashi is a Hindu occasion dedicated to Vishnu, venerating the myrobalan.

See also

References

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  2. ^ "Phyllanthus emblica". Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 2008-03-06.
  3. "Phyllanthus emblica L." World Flora Online. World Flora Consortium. 2023. Archived from the original on 20 May 2023. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
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  6. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
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  8. ^ Dharmananda S (September 2003). "Emblic myrobalans (Amla)". Institute of Traditional Medicine. Archived from the original on 2005-09-01. Retrieved 2006-02-07.
  9. Bhattacharya, A.; Chatterjee, A.; Ghosal, S.; Bhattacharya, S. K. (1999). "Antioxidant activity of active tannoid principles of Emblica officinalis (amla)". Indian Journal of Experimental Biology. 37 (7): 676–680. PMID 10522157.
  10. Habib-ur-Rehman; Yasin KA; Choudhary MA; et al. (Jul 2007). "Studies on the chemical constituents of Phyllanthus emblica". Nat. Prod. Res. 21 (9): 775–81. doi:10.1080/14786410601124664. PMID 17763100. S2CID 30716746.
  11. de Clercq, F. S. A. (1909). Nieuw Plantkundig Woordenboek voor Nederlandsch Indië. Amsterdam: J. H. de Bussy. p. 303.
  12. Indian Ministry of Health and Family Planning. The Ayurvedic Formulary of India. Part I. 1st ed. Delhi, 1978.
  13. Chen, K. (1952). The Śatapañcāśatka of Mātrceta: Sanskrit Text, Tibetan translation and commentary, and Chinese translation. Edited by D. R. Shackleton Bailey, with an introduction, English translation and notes. Cambridge: The University Press, 1951. xi, 237 p. The Far Eastern Quarterly, 11(3), 408–410. doi:10.2307/2049590.
  14. Strong, J. S. (1983) The Legend of King Ashoka. New York: Princeton University Press. p. 99.
  15. Buddha: His Life, His Teachings, His Order: Together with the History of the Buddhism, Manmatha Nath Dutt, Society for the resuscitation of Indian literature, 1901, p. 3
  16. Elgood, Heather (2000-04-01). Hinduism and the Religious Arts. A&C Black. p. 114. ISBN 978-0-304-70739-3.

External links

Taxon identifiers
Phyllanthus emblica
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