NAT. ORDER EUPHORBIACEÆ.
PHYLLANTHUS EMBLICA, Linn.
Syn. Emblica officinalis, Gaertn.
Sans. A'malaki, Dhátri.
Vern A'mlaki, Beng. A'onlá, Hind.
Like chebulic myrobalan, emblic myrobalan is also extensively used in Hindu medicine, both alone and in combination with the two other myrobalans. The fresh fruits are glolular, six-striated, with a fleshy, acidulous pulp. A preserve of the ripe fruits made with sugar, is considered a wholesome article of diet and a preservative of health. The dried fruits are wrinkled, of a blackish grey colour, and have an acidulous, astringent taste.
The properties of emblic myrobalan are said to resemble those of the chebulic. The fresh juice is cooling, refrigerant, diuretic and laxative. The dried fruits are astringent and useful in hæmorrhages. It is said that the exudation from incisions made on the fruits while on the tree, is a very useful external application in recent inflammation of the eye. It is also used as a collyrium.
The following preparation is used as a cooling and stomachic drink in irritability of the stomach. Take of emblic myrobalan, raisins, sugar and honey, eight tolas each, water half a seer ; rub them together, strain through cloth and administer the strained fluid in suitable doses.
About two drachms of emblic myrobalan is recommended to be given in the form of a paste, with the addition of honey for checking menorrhagia and discharge of blood from the uterus. The fresh juice of the ripe fruits is given with honey as a diuretic. A paste of the fruits is applied over the pubic region in irritability of the bladder.
The Sanskrit names in Devanagari beside the heading, the Sanskrit verses in the footnotes, and the superscript note numbers that point to them are not transcribed. The Khandámalaki formula that continues the article from the foot of p. 226 is not transcribed. Words hyphenated across a line break are joined.