AMLA

ORIGIN AND BOTANICAL TRAITS

Family Euphorbiaceae

Botanical name Emblica Officinalis Gaertn

Amla
Aonla
Aawallaa
Aamalaki
Common names Embelic
Indian gooseberry
Nellikai
Nillika
Aamvala
Usareekai
Botanical trait
A deciduous tree of small to medium
size up to 5.5 meters with greenish-grey
Habit or red bark, peeling off in scales and
long strips.

Fruits, fleshy, 2.24 cm in diameter, 5.68

grams in weight.

Fruit The stone of the fruit is six ribbed,

splitting into three segments. Each
contains usually two seeds: seeds 4–5
mm long, 2–3 mm wide. Each weighs
about 572 mg.

Constituent Apart from the fruit, the leaves and bark

are a good source of tannin.

Chemical Composition

Part Constituents
Rich source of Vitamin C.
Fruit Phyllembin from fruit pulp is identified as
ethyl gallate. It has mild depressant action
of CNS and spamolytic action.

Tannins
Polyphenolic compound

Fruits and leaves
Leaves and stem
1,3,6-trigalloylglucose
Terchebin
Corilagin
Ellagic
Phyllenbic acids
Alkaloids Phyllantidine and Phyllantine.
Lupeol and beta sitosteerol.

Linoleic acid and it closely resembles

Seeds linseed oil.

Ellagic acid and lupeol from roots.

APPLICATION

Amla is a very rich source of Vitamin C. Its ascorbic acid content ranges from 1100 to
1700 mg per 100 grams which is said to be the second highest among all the fruits, next
only to the Barbados cherry (Malpighia glabra).

The fruit, because of its high acidity and astringent taste, is not palatable for direct
consumption, but its excellent and therapeutic values offer enormous potentiality for
processing.

Application Sector

Medicinal Amla Fruit is rich in Vitamin C and Pectin.

It is the principal constituent of the famous Ayurvedic restorative tonic called Chayavan
Prash.

Cosmetics Hair tonic

Medicinal

Useful in ulcerative stomatitis and

gastrohelcosis.
Root bark
The bark is useful in gonorrhoea, jaundice,
diarrhoea and myalgia.

Leaves Useful in treatment of conjuctuvitis,

inflammation, dyspepsia, diarrhoea and
dysentery.
Useful in treatment of diabetes, cough,
asthma, bronchitis, cephalalgia,
 ophthalmopathy, dyspepsia, colic,
flatulence, hyperacidity, peptic ulcer,
Fruits erysipelas, skin diseaes, leprosy,
haematemesis, inflammations, anaemia,
emaciation, hepatopathy, jaundice,
strangury, diarrhoea, dysentery,
haemorrhages, leucorrhoea, menorrhagia,
cardiac disorders, intermittent fevers and
greyness of hair.

Cosmetics
Hair tonic

The standard extract of Amla contain about 3% Natural Vitamin C and upto 20% Tannin.
The natural mix of above is effective in skin care therapy.

Natural Vitamin C lends cementing support to the intercellural spaces of the cells,
thereby enhancing skin integrity, texture and sheen of the epidermal layer.

Other Uses

Amla pulp is rich in vitamin C and hence can be used a natural ingredient in other food
preparation such as juices, medicinal preparations to enrich vitamin C in the product.

The fruits are used for making preserves and pickles, several Ayurvedic medicinal
preparations, hairwash powders, hair oils etc.

The fruit and bark is also used in tanning of leather by the village tanners.

CULTIVATION PRACTICES

Regions cultivated in India

Amla is grown as an orchard crop in several parts of warmer India.

The crop has wide adaptability and can be found in diverse climatic and soil conditions
ranging from the Western and Eastern Himalayas, Arawalli ranges, Vindhya and Western
Ghats.

Amla has been raised successfully in arid, semiarid, coastal and warm temperature conditions.

Intensive cultivation is being done in the salt-affected districts of Uttar Pradesh including
the ravenous area in Agra, Mathura, Etawah, Fatehpur and semi-arid tracks of
Bundelkhand.
The cultivation is spreading rapidly in the semi-arid regions of Maharashtra, Gujarat,
Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and the Arawali ranges in Haryana,
Kandi area in Punjab, Himachal pradesh extending to Ghar area of Uttar Pradesh.

Uttar Pradesh tops in area, production and productivity followed by Gujarat and Tamil
Nadu

Suited for being raised in wasteland as well

Suitability as arid, semi-arid, salt affected, coastal or
ravine areas.

A mature plant can withstand a temperature

variation between 46 Deg C during hot summers to
freezing temperature as low as zero degrees during
Climate winters.

Soil condition Grows well in saline, alkaline and degraded soils.

Season October to January

Life A tree continues to bear fruits up to 65 to

70 years.

The cultivated Amla is basically a tropical

Fruit fruit and is highly sensitive to temperatures
below 32 F.

About 200 plants are raised in one acre

Planting
Quality planting material of the renowned
Faizabad varieties and BSR1 (TNAU) are
available in commercial nurseries.
The tree begins to yield fruit from the third
year onwards.
Yield
3 to 4 tonnes of fresh fruit per hectare
Intercrops Amla as an intercrop with coconut gives
yield of 40 kg per tree per year.
EXPORTS

Exports :

It is reported that around 5000 to 10000 kg per month of fruit are exported from Tamil
Nadu to Singapore and Malaysia on an average. The demand is for fruit from the
European countries also.

EXTRACTION PROCESS
 Parts used:

Dried fruit, seed, leaves, root, bark and flowers

Process for Amla Oil

Amla oil is prepared from dried Amla berries which have been soaked in coconut oil for
several days in order to extract the oil soluble vitamins from the fruit.

The filtered and purified oil is commonly called Amla oil.

DRIVING FACTORS FOR DEMAND

Increasing demand in Hair tonic

Amla oil has a long history of use as an aid for improving the health of hair and scalp. In
fact, it is one of the world's oldest, natural hair conditioners.

The dried fruit is a detergent and is used as a shampoo.

Customarily, a small amount of Amla oil is applied to the hair after washing. This not
only bring forth a rich, natural shine and soft texture, but also helps rejuvenate hair that is
dull and damaged.

Ayurvedic formulations - An important application sector

In traditional Indian medicine, Amla is a critical component of triphala, a known

ayurvedic formulation used as laxative and treating biliousness.

The plant extracts are so versatile in utility that many companies dealing in traditional
medicines use Amla in their product.

Wasteland Development

Amla is an ideal crop for wasteland development. The crop is drought resistant.

Amla has been identified as a good alternative wasteland crop apart from sapota, mango,
acid lime and sweet oranges.

Advantages for Southern States

Traditionally, forest pickings represented the major source of amla for industrial
requirements. The south has set a trend by demonstrating that amla, can be cultivated as
a commercial crop.

The agro climatic conditions in the South India ensures that the produce is available
during 10 months of the year against 3 to 5 months in the North India.
 DEMAND

Pectin decreases Serum Cholesterol in human beings. It inhibits Platelets aggregation and
lowers cholesterol levels.

Amla Tonic has a haematinic and lipalytic function useful in Scurvy and Jaundice,
prevents Indigestion and controls acidity as well as it is a natural source of anti-ageing.

Present Indian demand for Vitamin C is around 1000 Tonnes per annum which is met by
synthetic product

FACTORS INFLUENCING THE POSITION FOR A NEW INDUSTRY AND

RECOMMENDATIONS
Traditional use
Amla is largely used as a Natural hair-conditioner with a long history of use. Because of
its beneficial properties, Shikai uses Amla oil as a principal conditioning agent in Shikai
Amla Conditioner.
Potential area of demand

Demand for Amla can be substantially increased, if it can be positioned for its application
as Vitamin C input source