Botanical name – Emblica officinalis Linn.
Family - Euphorbiaceae
Hindi name – Amala
English name – Emblic Myrobalan, Indian Gooseberry
Sanskrit name - Shivam, Dhatri, Amruta, Sheetaphala,Vrushya,
Tishyaphala, Divya, Amrutaphala, Vayastha
Pancharasa, Kayastha.
Botanical Description- Emblica officinalis is a medium sized tree 8 to 10
mtrs. high. Bark whitish, thin. amala wood is strong and red.
Leaves are
simple, light green but more thin and small. Long petioles.
Flowers - stalk
is long. Flowers are small and yellow.
Fruits- round and greenish yellow. Six
striations with seeds.
Varieties - 2 varieties
1) Cultivated - large, soft and fleshy 2) Wild small, hard.
Habitat- All over India.
Therapeutics Properties –
Guna(qualities)- Guru, ruksha, sheeta
Rasa - pancharasa (except salt taste ) ,sour is
dominant test
Veerya- sheeta
Vipak- madhur
Dosha - Tridoshahara. Vatanashak by sour taste. Pittanashak by madhur taste
and sheeta property and kaphanashak by ruksha property and kashay taste. So
this drug is tridoshaghna but mainly pittanashak
Uses -
External uses-
Paste is applied locally in burning headache due to pitta, retention of urine. Juice is used in eye disorders. Fruits are kept overnight in water and eyes are washed with this water in the morning Hair wash by amala is done grey hair. Toothache is relieved by chewing fruit skin. Leaf juice is used as eye drops in eye disorders.
Internal uses-
Nervous system- Strengthens bone marrow, incipient blindness and any
weakness of sense organs.
Digestive system - It acts in loss of taste, loss of appetite, anorexia,
constipation, liver disorders, acid peptic diseases, ascites and piles through its
properties of digestion, laxation and rasayan. Its juice is given in haematemesis
and epistaxis. A paste of chandan+amlaki is best in pittaj vomiting, Leaf juice
useful in haemorrhagic dysentery.
Circulatory system- Useful in heart diseases, haemorrhagic diseases.
Loha bhasma + amalaka kalp is best in anaemia
Respiratory system - Used in diseases like cough, asthma, tuberculosis
etc. Amlaki is a good brain tonic.
Reproductive system- It is useful in spermatorrhoea, menorrhagia,
uterine debility.
Urinary system - Fresh amla juice is used in dysuria and pittal prameha. Bark
and leaves are also useful.
Skin - In skin diseases and erysipelas, it is given internally for longer period.
Temperature- Useful in chronic fever, thirst, burning sensation etc.
Dosage- Fruit juice 12 ml
powder - 3 to 6 gm.
Contraindication - Don't use amlaki and sour fruits at night or before sleeping
as they weaken the tooth and also lead to pharyngitis.
Formulations - Chyavanprash, Bramharasayan, Dhatriloha, Amrutprash, Amalaki rasayan, Chandan amalaki chatan (best in vomiting due to acidity).
In haemorrhagic diseases, amalaki is given as a laxative.
References -
हरीतकीसमं धात्रीफलं किन्तु विशेषतः ।
रक्तपित्तप्रमेहघ्नं परं वृष्यं रसायनम् ।। (भा.प्र.)
विद्यादामलके सर्वान् रसान् लवणवर्जितान् । (च.सू. २७)
अम्त समुधरं तिक्तं कषायं कटुकं सरम् ।
चक्षुष्यं सर्वदोषानं वृष्यमामलकीफलम् ।
हन्ति वार्त तदात्वात्पित्तं माधुर्यशैत्यतः ।
कफ रूक्षकषायत्वत्फलेभ्योऽभ्यधिकं च यत ।।(सु.सू. ४.६)
कटुमधुरकषायं किचिदम्लं कफनम् ।
रुचिकरमतिशीत हन्ति पित्तास्रतापम् ।
श्रमवमनविबन्धाध्मानविष्टम्भदोषप्रशमनममृताभं
चामलक्याः फलं स्यात् ।।(रा.नि.)
(Reference - Ayurvedic pharmacology & Therapeutic uses of Medicinal plants)
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