Botanical Name: Emblica officianalis

Common Name: Amlaa, Auraa, Dhaatri, Amrit phal

English Name: Gooseberry, Emblic myrobolan, Amioki

Parts Used: Root bark, bark, leaves, fruits

Habit and Habitat: Himalaya (Uttar Pradesh to Bhutan), NE India, N Myanmar, S China, Indo-China, Malayasia

Description: Deciduous shrub or tree. Leaves pinnate; leaflets small, sub-sessile, 9-12 mm long, pale green; stipules minute. Flowers greenish yellow, racemed on the branches, male flowers many; female flowers few. Fruit obscurely 6-lobed.

Uses: Useful in harmorrhage, diarrhoea and dysentry, in combination with iron used for anemia, jaundice, dyspepsia, colic, flatulence, hyperacidity, peptic ulcer, skin diseases, leprosy, leucorrhoea, menorrhagia, cardiac disorders, intermittent fevers and greyness of hair.

References: A compendium of Medicinal Plants in Nepal by Sushim Ranjan Baral and Puran Prasad Kurmi (October’ 2006)