The bark of Amla is grayish -green in color and peals off in flakes in irregular patches. Its feathery leaves, which smell like lemon, are of linear oblong shape and are from 10 to 12 mm in length and 3 to 6 mm wide. Its flowers are monoecious - unisexual with the organs or flowers of both sexes borne on a single plant (as in corn and pines) and are a greenish yellow color. They grow in auxiliary clusters and start appearing at the beginning of the spring season.

The Amla fruit - a depressed globular shape - has six vertical furrows. The fruit starts developing by the middle of spring and ripens towards the beginning of autumn. The color of the fruit is pale yellow. Amla fruit is one of the three "myrobalans," a term deriving from Greek. Dried Amla fruit is used in Ayurvedic and Unani systems of medicine for various ailments like fever, liver disorders, indigestion, anemia, heart complaints and urinary problems. It is a rich source of vitamin C which gets assimilated in the human system easily and quickly and is, as such, utilized for treating pulmonary tuberculosis, etc. Raw Amla fruit is also used for making pickles and preserves (morabbas). It is also used in making quality inks, ordinary dyes, hair dyes and shampoos and is used in the tanning industry. Amla fruit paste is a major ingredient of Chavyanprash, a popular Ayurvedic tonic.

The wood of the Amla tree is small in size and red in color. It is close grained and hard in texture. It warps and splits when exposed to sun or excessive heat. However, in an under-water situation it is fairly durable. It weighs nearly 20 kg per cubic foot and is generally utilized for making small agricultural implements. Amla wood is also used as firewood as it makes excellent charcoal.

Amla is regarded as a sacred tree in India. The tree was worshipped as Mother Earth and is believed to nurture humankind because the fruit is very nourishing. Kartik Mahatma and Vrat Kaumudi order the worship of this tree. The leaves are offered to the Lord of Shri Satyanarayana Vrata, Samba on Shri Shanipradosha Vrata and Shiva and Gowri on Nitya Somvara Vrata. The fruit and flowers are also used in worship. In Himachal Pradesh the tree is worshipped in Kartik as propitious and chaste.

A research team discovered that when Amla is taken regularly as a dietary supplement, it counteracts the toxic effects of prolonged exposure to environmental heavy metals, such as lead, aluminum, and nickel. These metals are prevalent in the environment of industrialized countries. In the studies the pro-oxidant or oxygen radical scavenger qualities of Amla suggest that it is also very effective in lowering the risk of many cancers. Other studies indicate that it is much more effective than Vitamin C alone in reducing chromosomal abnormalities. Amla juice has twenty times more vitamin C than orange juice, and the natural tannins prevent oxidation of the vitamin content in a dry condition ? in other words, it is heat stable. Studies indicate that the naturally occurring vitamin C is easier for the body to absorb than synthetic vitamin C. This and other studies indicate that naturally occurring vitamin C may be ten times more beneficial to the body than synthetic vitamins. The Vitamin C content of Amla is between 625 mg ? 1814 mg per 100 grams!

Other studies show that Amla increases the red blood cell count and hemoglobin percentages, in patients who start their anabolic phase (metabolic processes involved in protein synthesis) sooner. The dried fruit reduces cholesterol levels, indicating that Amla is safe to consume on a long term basis.

Amla reduces unwanted fat because it increases total protein levels; this is due to its ability to create a positive nitrogen balance and it also significantly reduces the levels of free fatty acids. In addition, Amla, in a raw or natural form, reduces cholesterol and cholesterol induced atherosclerosis (Obstruction of the arteries), making it a useful natural product to fight obesity. One study shows that it prevented atheroma (degeneration of the artery walls due to fat and scar tissue). Furthermore, Amla has exhibited considerable effect in inhibiting the HIV virus which ultimately results in the disease AIDS.

Therefore, one can draw the conclusion that Amla is good for almost everyone on a regular basis. It reduces or eliminates the risk of environmental pollutants, normalizes cholesterol, reduces unwanted fat, cures ulcers, reduces or prevents cancer, has the highest content of vitamin C of any natural source, detoxifies the body, regulates digestion, has inhibiting effects against the HIV virus, promotes metabolic function and can produce these results when taken in a dried, natural, unprocessed form. The only thing that could possibly be better than Amla for a daily herbal supplement, is the Triphala formula, of which Amla constitutes one third.