Amla fruit:

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Amla fruit:

 

The Richest Known Source Of Vitamin C That Can Help Fight Cataracts To

Cancer

 

Amlica embillicus is the name of a small leafy tree, which has a

lemony smell, and grows in the plains and low mountainous regions of

the Indian subcontinent – from Burma to Afghanistan. It contains

numerous beneficial ingredients, which are mainly concentrated in the

edible, plum-sized fruit it produces.

 

Amla fruit, often referred to as Indian gooseberry, is one of the

richest known sources of vitamin C – it contains 30 times the amount

found in oranges – making it useful for treating throat and

respiratory tract infections.

 

It is regarded as sacred by Indian and Tibetan healers who believe it

has special anti-ageing and immune enhancing properties.

Traditionally, healers have used the dried fruit to help overcome a

wide range of problems like indigestion, fever, liver problems and

anaemia.

 

Not only is amla fruit revered by Ayurvedic (ancient Indian)

practitioners, extensive research is revealing that it is beneficial

in preventing and treating many conditions – including stress, hay

fever, arthritis, cataracts, and even cancer.

 

Amla is proving a useful tool in the fight against cancer

 

Chinese researchers have discovered that amla fruit is a rich source

of therapeutic chemicals, including quercetin (which is also found in

apples), gallic and ellagic acids (found in green tea), and other less

well-known ones such as chebulinic acid, chebulagic acid, corilagin,

and isostrictiniin (Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi. 2003 Oct;28(10):940- 3).

 

All of these chemicals are powerful antioxidants, which help protect

you from harmful free radicals that can increase the risk of a wide

range of serious diseases including cancer.

 

This is backed-up by preliminary research findings, which suggest that

amla may play an important role in the fight against cancer.

 

For example, in a study carried out by scientists at the Faculty of

Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagasaki University, in Japan, amla extracts

were found to be able to prevent the growth of cancerous cells in the

stomach, skin and womb (Biol Pharm Bull. 2004 Feb;27(2):251- 5).

 

Amla helps counteract the harmful side-effects of anti-cancer drugs

 

Research is also revealing that amla fruit is effective when used

alongside conventional cancer treatments such as the anti-cancer drug

Doxorubicin.

 

This drug is able to kill a large number of cancerous cells, and can

save cancer patient's lives even when the disease has progressed.

However, one major drawback associated with the drug's use is that it

can damage the heart muscle.

 

Recently, Thai scientists from the Department of Pharmacology,

Srinakharinwirot University, in Bangkok, tested various plant extracts

to determine whether they could prevent Doxorubicin's detrimental

effect on the heart.

 

As well as amla, other plants involved in the study included curcuma

longa (curcumin), piper rostratum and morus alba – all of which are

used by Ayurvedic practitioners to help fight against cancer.

 

The scientists found that all of the plants were successful when it

came to protecting the heart from Doxorubicin. However, amla extract

demonstrated the best heart-protective benefit and was in fact 12

times stronger than the rest.

 

This finding is important because it shows that amla may counteract

the dangerous side-effects of conventional cancer treatments like

chemotherapy (Basic Clin Pharmacol Toxicol. 2005 Jan;96(1):80- 7).

 

Anti-inflammatory action makes it beneficial against hay fever and

arthritis

 

Amla not only possesses potent antioxidant properties but can also

help reduce inflammation. Recently, Indian researchers from the

Natural Remedies Research Centre, in Bangalore, found that a herbal

remedy containing amla was effective against hay fever – which causes

inflammation and irritation of the delicate linings of the nose and eyes.

 

The preparation, which also included the herbs terminalia chebula,

terminalia bellerica, albizia lebbeck, piper nigrum, ginger and piper

longum, brought much-needed relief from the symptoms of hay fever

including a blocked or runny nose, sneezing and itchy eyes.

 

The researchers found that this herbal combination was also effective

at alleviating joint inflammation caused by arthritis. This result is

not surprising, as the inflammatory process involved in hay fever and

arthritis is very similar – they both cause an increase in specific

inflammatory chemicals like interleukin and TNF (tumour necrosis

factor), and amla is known to be able to reduce levels of both these

chemicals (Int J Tissue React. 2004;26(1-2) :43-51).

 

Other beneficial actions linked to amla

 

• Amla extracts have been found to have a calming, soothing effect,

which can help combat stress. Research shows that amla acts as a

sedative, relaxing muscles and improving sleep (Achliya GS, Wadodkar

SG, Avinash KD. Indian J Exp Biol. 2004 May;42(5):499- 503).

 

• The fruit extract may also prevent vision loss resulting from

diabetes-related cataracts. Scientists from the Biochemistry Division,

National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad, in India, found that amla

is able to block a chemical called aldose reductase, which has been

heavily implicated in causing cataracts in diabetic patients (Mol Vis.

2004 Mar 12;10:148-54) .

 

• Several animal studies have shown that amla can help prevent a toxic

build-up of heavy metals – caused by frequent exposure to metals like

aluminium, lead and nickel. When vitamin C alone was used – equivalent

to that found in amla fruit – only partial protection from heavy

metals was provided.

 

However, when the whole amla fruit was used almost complete protection

was achieved. This indicates that it is the combined action of the

various ingredients found in the fruit that effectively helps shield

DNA from heavy metal poisoning (Dhir, H.A. Agarwal; A. Sharma, and G.

Talukder. Cancer Letters 59.9 18, 1991; Giri, A.K. Cytologia 51, pp

375-380, 1986).

 

What to take for best results

 

The recommended dosage is two amla tablets taken twice a day at

mealtimes. There are no known contraindications, but as always you

should check with your practitioner before taking it – especially if

you are already on any medication.