An Investigation of Emblica Officinalis Phytochemistry, Pharmacological Properties, and Traditional Use

Abstract

Plants have been significant in human development since ancient times, providing natural medicine that promotes a long, healthy life free from illness. Emblica officinalis, a medicinal plant also known as amla or Indian gooseberry, belongs to the Euphorbiaceae family. This herbaceous plant has been widely used for its medicinal qualities, with the fruits being particularly beneficial. People use amla fruits for both medicinal and tonic purposes, aiming to restore their lost vitality and stamina. They contain high levels of minerals, amino acids, vitamin C, and other vital micronutrients. Traditional medicine uses these fruits to treat conditions such as diarrhea, jaundice, and inflammation. E. officinalis includes a variety of bioactive substances with antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticancer, hepatoprotective, and other pharmacological activity, including tannins, flavonoids, saponins, terpenoids, and ascorbic acids. The review includes the pharmacological characteristics, traditional use, geographic distribution, commercialization, and therapeutic qualities of this highly regarded medicinal plant.
Introduction: Ayurveda, an Indian traditional medicinal system, regards amla (Emblica officinalis) (EO) as sacred. According to Indian mythology, Amla, also known as Indian gooseberry or Phyllanthus emblica, was the first tree to exist in the universe and is a member of the Euphorbiaceae family. Amla grows not only in its native India but also in Southeast Asia, China, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Sri Lanka, and other tropical and subtropical climates.

Objectives: The objective of the current study was to estimate the Emblica officinalis' chemical composition, pharmacological activity, commercialization, taxonomic classification, Vernacular name, and profile.

Methods: The literature used in this work was sourced from a number of databases, including Research Gate, Google Scholar, Pubmed, and Scopus.

Conclusions: Amla, also known as Indian gooseberry, has been used in traditional medicine, such as Ayurveda, and tribal medicine for many years. This plant contains various phytochemicals, including tannins, flavonoids, terpenoids, and polyphenolic compounds. In recent decades, researchers have started investigating the biological and biopharmaceutical properties of these phytochemicals found in amla. Some of the important compounds found in Amla include emblicanin A, gallic acid, emblicanin B, ellagic acid, quercetin, phyllantidine, and phyllantine, which have shown different biological activities.