Amla - 90 V-Caps

What is Alma?

Amla (Emblica Officinalis), also known as Indian Gooseberry, is a deciduous tree native to the Indian subcontinent and is a staple in Ayurveda, the ancient medicinal system of healing and longevity in India. The fruits of the tree are used for the aforementioned ayurvedic applications, which include treatment for diarrhea, dysentery, infections, and ulcers. Amla's most notable mention in the ancient ayurvedic texts, however, is as a rasayana anti-aging compound. Rasayana is a category of ayurveda that is centered on bodily chemistry and alchemy, and amla's status in this regard is centered on its antibacterial and astringent properties.

These promote longevity, particularly through the protection they offer to the heart and lungs, as amla is traditionally known to fight chronic lung problems as well as upper respiratory infections. It is used in Ayurveda as a cardiotonic, aphrodisiac, antipyretic, antidiabetic, cerebral, gastrointestinal, and rejuvinative tonic. It is also used in the treatment of leukorrhea, artherosclerosis and respiratory difficulties.

Fresh amla fruit is one of the richest natural sources of vitamin C (ascorbic acid), with up to 720 mg/100g of fresh pulp or up to 900 mg/100g of pressed juice. Although only one inch in diameter, the Amla fruit has the same antiscorbutic value as two oranges, and on a per-gram basis contains 20 times as much vitamin C as a typical orange. The amla fruit is a highly nutritious and important dietary source of vitamin C, minerals and amino acids, containing a protein and ascorbic acid concentration that is 3-fold and 160-fold that of an apple, respectively. The fruit also contains a considerably higher concentration of most minerals than apples, not to mention a wider array of amino acids. Amla fruit is also rich in chromium, zinc, and copper. Amla fruit also contains phyllemblin and curcuminoides, and the oil from the seed of the fruit contains 64.8% linolenic acid and closely resembles linseed oil.

However, although amla fruit has gained popularity due to its vitamin C contents, amla extracts (which contain negligeable amounts of vitamin C) appear to be have even more potent antioxidant potential. This suggests that the effects of amla fruit are due to the overall effect of its other polyphenols, rather than vitamin C alone. An in vitro study found that even elevated levels of ascorbic acid did not show as much antioxidant potential as an amla extract.

Not surprisingly, Amla's reputation is supported by scientific studies confirming its health-enhancing properties in a number of fields.

Alma as a defense against abnormal cholesterol and lipoprotein metabolism
A number of published, peer-reviewed studies have confirmed amla as an effective modulator of lipoprotein metabolism. Indeed, there is a strong correlation between lipoprotein dysfunction and the aging process. One Japanese study found that amla lowered total cholesterol levels by up to 26%, while simultaneously raising levels of PPARalpha (an enzyme that is known to regulate the transcription of genes involved in lipid and cholesterol metabolism) by 48% in aged laboratory rats. This is an impressive expression of synergy considering that elevated lipid levels and depressed PPARalpha levels have a strong correlation with the aging process. Numerous other animal studies were equally impressive, which further served to establish amla's effectiveness in dealing with abnormal lipid levels and cholesterol. In one such study, amla reduced serum cholesterol and LDL levels by 82% and 90%, respectively. Studies with humans have also shown promising results, with one double-blind, peer-reviewed Indian study showing that amla supplementation significantly reduced total serum cholestrol levels in both normal and hypercholesterolaemic men after just 28 days. In another human study, amla increased HDL cholesterol by 25% while reducing LDL cholestrol by nearly 16% in addition to significantly reducing postprandial glycemia in the oral glucose tolerance test by more than 12%.

Alma as an immune system enhancer
Published in-vitro clinical studies reveal that amla offers cytotoxic protection at the cellular level. It does so by reducing both the immunosuppressive and free radical activity of toxic heavy metals in addition to significantly enhancing the survival and activity of macrophages (white blood cells that form the first line of defense of the immune system). This has led researchers to examine any anti-carcinogenic applications that amla may have, and clinical studies in this area have produced promising results. These include one trial where laboratory rats were administered with N- nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA) to induce visible liver tumours, and only 11% of the animals treated with amla developed such tumours.

Other uses:
Other functions of amla include that of an antacid. In one unpublished study, the effects of amla were examined in patients with gastritis syndrome. Amla was given to 20 such patients in a dose of 3 grams, thrice a day for seven days, and was found to be effective in 85 per cent of cases. Patients enduring hyperchlorhydria, a gastric condition characterized by a build-up of an excessive amount of hydrochloric acid in the stomach and a burning sensation in the abdominal and cardiac regions, likewise benefitted from amla supplementation. Amla has also been examined for its cognitive-enhancing capabilities.

Amla is a carminative and stomachic. It also raises protein absorption due to its effect on positive nitrogen balance. Scientists have identified the active ingredients of amla to include a series of diterpenes known as gibberellins, as well as flavonoids (including kaempferol and quercetin), polyphenols (emblicanin A and B, punigluconin and pedunculagin) and the triterpene lupeol. Also present are the phyllantine and zeatin alkaloids and a number of benzenoids including amlaic acid, corilagin, ellagic acid, ethyl gallate, putranjivain A, digallic acid, phyllemblic acid, emblicol, and alactaric acid.