The Godly Physician Tree - Amla or Phyllanthus emblica
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| Indian Gooseberry |
Perhaps of all trees, one that qualifies to be named as the
godly physician tree is the Amla tree. It is also known as the Indian Gooseberry and
its botanical name is Phyllanthus emblica. It is a pretty tree with its
delicate foliage that grows well on the warm plains of South
Asia. It is a truly precious gift of mother earth to
mankind. This tree may not fruit well if grown as a single tree in a garden (some do though) or as several together in an orchard. However it will fruit very well if a grown in an orchard with about one fifth other trees spaced through the orchard or another fruit planted as every third row for ease of picking. One may plant other fruit trees of a similar height for that.
Several parts of this tree including leaves have medicinal
value but the most beneficial part are the fruits. It is a difficult fruit to
eat raw because of its strong taste; however its taste improves in salted or
sweet preserves. It is especially useful for conditions related with aging and it
has been a component of many ancient Ayurvedic formulations designed to keep kings
and sages active and alert even at an advanced age. However, in the modern age
this author prefers to consume medicinal herbs individually rather than in
mixed formulations because almighty greed of modern commercial interests may be
a factor in the formula aside from beneficial medicinal value.
The best way to consume it as a medicine seems to be to dry
it and use it’s powdered form dissolved in a little warm water. A tea spoon a day appears sufficient although
this author does not have full information on the best dosage. The fruit has
been a subject of many modern medical studies that have verified many of the
ancient Ayurvedic claims about this fruit. One reference is cited at the end of
this note. Many more can be found on a google search. This is what wikipedia
has to say about it:
“Indian gooseberry has undergone preliminary research, demonstrating in
vitro antiviral and antimicrobial properties. There is preliminary evidence
in vitro that its extracts induce apoptosis and modify gene expression
in osteoclasts involved in rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis. It may prove
to have potential activity against some cancers. One recent animal study found
treatment with E. officinalis reduced severity of acute pancreatitis
(induced by L-arginine in rats). It also promoted the spontaneous repair and
regeneration process of the pancreas occurring after an acute attack. Experimental
preparations of leaves, bark or fruit have shown potential efficacy against
laboratory models of disease, such as for inflammation, cancer, age-related
renal disease, and diabetes. A human pilot study demonstrated a reduction of
blood cholesterol levels in both normal and hypercholesterolemic men with
treatment. Another recent study with alloxan-induced diabetic rats given an
aqueous amla fruit extract has shown significant decrease of the blood glucose,
as well as triglyceridemic levels and an improvement of the liver function
caused by a normalization of the liver-specific enzyme alanine transaminase
activity.”
The original text includes several references and an interested researcher
may wish to look up.
Sample Reference: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25491539
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