Abstract
Emblica officinalis (L.) is popularly known as Indian gooseberry. The species is native to India and also grows in tropical and subtropical regions. Traditionally, the fruit is useful as astringent, cardiotonic, diuretic, laxative, livertonic, refrigerant, stomachic, restorative, alterative, antipyretic, anti-inflammatory, hair tonic, and digestive medicine. It is one of the constituents of the famous ayurvedic preparation, triphala, which is prescribed in many digestive disorders. It mainly contains vitamin C which is responsible for its antioxidant activity; other compounds include emblicanins A and B, gallic acid, and geraniin. Different parts and formulations of E. officinalis are used in different types of skin disorders, i.e., scabies, dry skin, and wrinkled skin. E. officinalis has strong skin photo-protective effects through its ability to quench reactive oxygen species generated by UVB irradiation due to antioxidant activity related to UV protection. Amla has potential mitigative, therapeutic, and cosmetic applications. Toxicological studies have shown it to be safe and nontoxic.
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Zanwar, A.A., Badole, S.L., Saini, R. (2013). Role of Emblica officinalis in Prevention of Skin Disease. In: Watson, R., Zibadi, S. (eds) Bioactive Dietary Factors and Plant Extracts in Dermatology. Nutrition and Health. Humana Press, Totowa, NJ. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-62703-167-7_40
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-62703-167-7_40
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