Health benefits of Indian gooseberry (Emblica officinalis)

Emblica officinalis is arguably the most important medicinal plant in the Indian traditional system of medicine, the Ayurveda [15]. The fruit also known as Indian gooseberry or Amla, has been an herbal component of Thai traditional recipes believed to slow down the aging process [1] but is also used to treat many ailments such as common cold and fever, as a diuretic, laxative, liver tonic, refrigerant, stomachic, restorative, alterative, antipyretic, anti-inflammatory, hair tonic, to prevent peptic ulcer and dyspepsia, and as a digestive [16]. It is also the source of Indian Gooseberry oil and Indian Gooseberry juice. Image: Emblica officinalis by latihamba under Creative Commons License (CC BY 2.0).

Preclinical studies have shown some Indian gooseberry benefits. Amla possesses antipyretic, analgesic, antitussive, antiatherogenic, adaptogenic, cardioprotective, gastroprotective, antianemia, antihypercholesterolemia, wound healing, antidiarrheal, antiatherosclerotic, hepatoprotective, nephroprotective, and neuroprotective properties [16].

In traditional Indian medicine Ayurveda, the use of Emblica officinalis extends to all parts of the plant including the fruit, seed, leaves, root, bark and flowers are used in various herbal preparations for the treatment of diabetes mellitus, chronic diarrhea, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic [4] anti-tumor, antioxidant and analgesic [7,8,9], but how many of those properties have been scientifically founded on facts? Let's see some of them.

EMBLICA OFFICINALIS

Family: Phyllantaceae
Genus: Emblica
Common name: Indian gooseberry, Amla, Emblic, Emblic myrobalan, Malacca tree.

EMBLICA OFFICINALIS FOR CARIES PREVENTION

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Streptococcus mutans, a gram positive oral bacterium, has been traditionally identified as the primary cause of dental caries. In spite the use of traditional pharmaceutical remedies may help preventing this dental disease, concerns over the toxicity of some of the chemicals used to treat it, namely the anti-plaque agent cholorhexidine, have raised the interests of scientists and researchers towards the search for other more natural sources of active constituents that may help to fight caries without any undesirable side effects. Image left: Two years old Amla tree by treesftf's under Creative Commons License (CC BY 2.0).

One of the reasons why more and more scientists and researchers focus on active constituents provided by natural products as herbs and plants is the lack of toxicity and contraindications of most of them. The standard anti plaque agent (cholorhexidine), which is being used in most of the dental care products, has several reports of being genotoxic [6,10]. On the contrary, the fruit of Emblica officinalis (amla) is consumed raw which rules out every possibility of being toxic [6], something that proves how Emblica officinalis fruit extracts could potentially been used as a source of active constituents for alternative and complementary medicine for the treatment and prevention of dental caries by inhibiting the virulence factors of Streptococcus mutans.

Dental caries is an irreversible localized infection that results in the progressive tooth decay [6,7]. In another line of

study, the use of Emblica officinalis against the cariogenic effects of Streptococcus mutans, a causative microorganism for caries, showed how Emblica officinalis fruit extracts could potentially be used as an alternative and complementary medicine for dental caries by inhibiting the virulence factors of Streptococcus mutans [6].

EMBLICA OFFICINALIS AS RASAYANA

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Rasayana is defined as any herb, food, or activity which confers youthfulness and cures diseases. If taken in a proper way, Rasayana prevents early aging and keeps the person young and active, both physically and mentally [11]. Image right: Emblica officinalis by Rajib Ghosh under Creative Commons License (CC BY 2.0).

At least in one study permformed using Drosophila, an organism commonly used to test Ayurvedic medicines, Emblica officinalis showed to be able to enhance the sexual activity [12].

EMBLICA OFFICINALIS HYPOLIPIDEMIC PROPERTIES

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Amla (Indian gooseberry) is also known to possess hypolipidemic properties [11]. In a study performed in ovariectomized rats, Amla decreased low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and increased HDL cholesterol [11].

ANTINEOPLASTIC EFFECTS OF INDIAN GOOSEBERRY

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The use of Indian gooseberry as antineoplastic (preventing, inhibiting or halting tumors) has also been documented in experimental studies, where it has been shown that Emblica officinalis and some of its phytochemicals such as gallic acid, ellagic acid, pyrogallol, some norsesquiterpenoids, corilagin, geraniin, elaeocarpusin, and prodelphinidins B1 and B2 also possess antineoplastic effects [16]. Others as its radiomodulatory, chemomodulatory, chemopreventive effects, free radical scavenging, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimutagenic and immunomodulatory activities, have shown to be also properties that are efficacious in the treatment and prevention of cancer [11].

Gallic acid, a type of phenolic acid, is also found in other herbs as Witch hazel and is known to exert anti-fungal and anti-viral properties, also used as a remote astringent that compresses blood vessels in cases of internal hemorrhages [17].

TRIPHALA AND PANCREATIC CANCER

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Triphala is another Ayurvedic herbal Rasayana (herb, food, or activity which confers youthfulness and cures diseases), composed of equal parts of the fruits Amalaki (Phyllanthus emblica), Bibhitaki (Terminalia bellirica), and Haritaki (Terminalia chebula) [11,22].

In spite Triphala was already commonly used in Ayurvedic medicine to treat a wide range of ailments and diseases, its potential use against human pancreatic cancer has only been documented since 2008. In 2008 scientists and researchers from the Texas Tech University of Health Sciences discovered that Triphala effective in inhibiting the growth of human pancreatic cancer cells in both cellular and in vivo model [23].

EMBLICA OFFICINALIS HYPOLIPIDEMIC PROPERTIES

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Amla (Indian gooseberry) is also known to possess hypolipidemic properties [11]. In a study performed in ovariectomized rats, Amla decreased low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and increased HDL cholesterol [11].

HEPATOPROTECTIVE ACTIVITY OF EMBLICA OFFICINALIS

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Some studies indicate the propensity of Emblica officinalis extracts to improve antioxidant defenses in HepG2 cells [13]. The potential hepatoprotective activity of Emblica officinalis is mainly attributed to the antioxidant potential exhibited by this herb [14].

In some cases the use of Emblica officinalis as hepatoprotective agent has been combined with quercetin, a type of flavonoid with very powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties found in many fruits, as apple, green and black tea, onions, leaves, vegetables and even grains [19].

REFERENCES

[1] The Phyllanthus emblica L. infusion carries immunostimulatory activity in a mouse model.
Huabprasert S, Kasetsinsombat K, Kangsadalampai K, Wongkajornsilp A, Akarasereenont P, Panich U, Laohapand T.
Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.

[2] Hepatoprotective activity of Indian Phyllanthus.
Srirama R, Deepak HB, Senthilkumar U, Ravikanth G, Gurumurthy BR, Shivanna MB, Chandrasekaran CV, Agarwal A, Shaanker RU.
School of Ecology and Conservation, University of Agricultural Sciences , GKVK, Bangalore , India.

[3] Antidiabetic and antioxidant potential of Emblica officinalis Gaertn. leaves extract in streptozotocin-induced type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) rats.
Nain P, Saini V, Sharma S, Nain J.
M.M. College of Pharmacy, M.M. University, Mullana-Ambala, Haryana 133207, India.

[4] Antidiabetic and antioxidant potential of Emblica officinalis Gaertn. leaves extract in streptozotocin-induced type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) rats.
Nain P, Saini V, Sharma S, Nain J.
M.M. College of Pharmacy, M.M. University, Mullana-Ambala, Haryana 133207, India

[5] Efficacy of E. officinalis on the Cariogenic Properties of Streptococcus mutans: A Novel and Alternative Approach to Suppress Quorum-Sensing Mechanism.
Hasan S, Danishuddin M, Adil M, Singh K, Verma PK, Khan AU.
Medical Microbiology and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Interdisciplinary Biotechnology Unit, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, India.

[6] Efficacy of E. officinalis on the Cariogenic Properties of Streptococcus mutans: A Novel and Alternative Approach to Suppress Quorum-Sensing Mechanism.
Hasan S, Danishuddin M, Adil M, Singh K, Verma PK, Khan AU.
Medical Microbiology and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Interdisciplinary Biotechnology Unit, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, India.

[7] Prabu GR, Gnanamani A, Sadulla S. Guaijaverin- a plant flavonoid as potential antiplaque agent against Streptococcus mutans. J Appl Microbiol. 2006;101:487–495

[8] Comparative study of the antioxidant and reactive oxygen species scavenging properties in the extracts of the fruits of Terminalia chebula, Terminalia belerica and Emblica officinalis.
Hazra B, Sarkar R, Biswas S, Mandal N.
Division of Molecular Medicine, Bose Institute, P-1/12 CIT Scheme VIIM, Kolkata-700054, India.

[9] Evaluation of anti-pyretic and analgesic activity of Emblica officinalis Gaertn.
Perianayagam JB, Sharma SK, Joseph A, Christina AJ.
Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry Division, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guru Jambheshwar University, Hisar-125001, India.

[10] Ribeiro DA, Bazo AP, da Silva Franchi CA, Marques ME, Salvadori DM. Chlorohexidine induces DNA damage in rat peripheral leukocytes and oral mucosal cells. J Periodontal Res. 2004;39:358–61.

[11] Wikipedia article on Phyllanthus emblica

[12] Ibidem Charaka Samhita [1], Rasayana Chikitsa Adhyaya. 2001;1(7):376.
The effect of Emblica officinalis diet on lifespan, sexual behavior, and fitness characters in Drosophila melanogaster
Pankaj Pathak,1 B. R. Guru Prasad,2 N. Anjaneya Murthy,3 and S. N. Hegde4

[13] Influence of Emblica officinalis aqueous extract on growth and antioxidant defense system of human hepatoma cell line (HepG2).
Shivananjappa MM, Joshi MK.
Bioscience Group, Unilever Research Centre, Whitefield, Bengaluru, India.

[14] Hepatoprotective and antioxidant activity of standardized herbal extracts.
Hiraganahalli BD, Chinampudur VC, Dethe S, Mundkinajeddu D, Pandre MK, Balachandran J, Agarwal A.
R and D Centre, Natural Remedies Pvt. Ltd, Bangalore, India.

[15] Amla (Emblica officinalis Gaertn), a wonder berry in the treatment and prevention of cancer.
Baliga MS, Dsouza JJ.
Father Muller Medical College, Kankanady, Mangalore, Karnataka, India.

[16] Amla (Emblica officinalis Gaertn), a wonder berry in the treatment and prevention of cancer.
Baliga MS, Dsouza JJ.
Father Muller Medical College, Kankanady, Mangalore, Karnataka, India.

[17] Wikipedia article on Gallic acid.

[18] Hepatoprotective activity of Emblica officinalis and Chyavanaprash. Jose JK, Kuttan R. Amala Cancer Research Centre, Amala Nagar PO, Thrissur 680 553, Kerala, India.

[19] Hepatoprotective studies on Phyllanthus emblica Linn. and quercetin.
Gulati RK, Agarwal S, Agrawal SS.
Department of Pharmacology, Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi, India.

[20] Plant names: Porcher Michel H. et al. 1995 - 2020, Sorting Phyllanthus Names. Multilingual Multiscript Plant Name Database  (M.M.P.N.D)  - A Work in Progress. Published by The University of Melbourne. Australia.   < http://www.plantnames.unimelb.edu.au/Sorting/Phyllanthus.html > (2012).

[21] Plant names: Wikipedia article on Emblica officinalis.

[22] Ayurvedic pharmacopoeia committee. The Ayurvedic Formulary of India, Part I, 2nd English ed. New Delhi: Controller of Publications; 2003

[23] Triphala inhibits both in vitro and in vivo xenograft growth of pancreatic tumor cells by inducing apoptosis.
Shi Y, Sahu RP, Srivastava SK.
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Cancer Biology Center, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, School of Pharmacy, Amarillo, Texas, USA.