Family: Euphorbiaceae

Vernacular names: Sanskrit - Amalaki; Hindi - Amla; English - Emblic myrobalan; Bengali - Amlaki; Tamil - Nelli; Unani - Aamlah; Marathi - Avala; Chinese - An mole; German - Amla; Japanese - Amara

Part Used: dried fruit, ripe fruit, seed, leaves, root, bark, flowers.

The fruit is one of the richest natural sources of vitamin C , containing up to 720 mg/100g of fresh pulp and 921 mg/100cc of pressed juice. This is approximately 20 times the vitamin C content of an orange. Amalaki fruit has, in fact, been used successfully to treat human scurvy. It is also effective in the treatment of amlapitta (peptic ulcer) , as well as in non-ulcer dyspepsia. When tested an increase in cardiac glycogen and a decrease in serum LDH, suggesting a cardioprotective action. It also demonstrated a statistically significant reduction in serum cholesterol levels and an antiatherogenic effect.

Traditional Uses: The fruit is commonly used in the treatment of burning sensation anywhere in the body, anorexia, constipation, urinary discharges, inflammatory bowels, cough, haemorrhoids, fever, thirst, and toxicity of the blood. The juice of the fresh bark mixed with honey and turmeric is given in gonorrhoea. The leaf infusion with fenugreek seeds is given in chronic diarrhoea. Acute bacillary dysentery may be treated with a syrup of amalaki and lemon juice. The exudation from incisions made into the fruit is used as a collyrium in inflammatory eye conditions; the seeds are powdered and used to treat asthma, bronchitis, and biliousness. It is an ingredient in several important medicinal preparations including Triphala ("three fruits"), a laxative and carminative, and the famous Chyvanaprash, a general tonic for people of all ages which improves mental and physical well-being.