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<big>''[[Phyllanthus emblica]]'' L.</big>

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Many of the medicinal applications of the fruits can be ascribed to the presence of ascorbic acid and to the astringent action of tannins, but the fruits contain other active compounds as well. Fruit extracts showed anti-oxidant and antitumour activities in in-vitro and animal tests. They also exhibited cholesterol-lowering, antitussive, anti-ulcerative and hepatoprotective properties and showed potent inhibitory activity on HIV reverse transcriptase; for the latter activity putranjivain A was the most active compound isolated. Phyllemblin has also been isolated from the fruits; it potentiates the action of adrenaline, has a mild depressant action on the central nervous system and has spasmolytic properties. ''Phyllanthus emblica'' leaf extracts have shown inhibitory activity on human leukocytes and platelets, which at least partly confirms the anti-inflammatory and antipyretic properties of ''Phyllanthus emblica'' leaves. The tannoid principles are potent inhibitors of aldose reductase and may be effective in the management of diabetic complications, including cataract.

Small to medium-sized deciduous tree, sometimes up to 25 m tall but usually much shorter, up to 7.5 m; trunk often crooked and gnarled, up to 35 cm in diameter; bark thin, smooth, grey, peeling in patches, with numerous knobs. Leaves alternate, distichous and densely crowded along lateral twigs, simple and entire, glabrous, sessile; stipules triangular; blade narrowly oblong, 5–25 mm × 1–5 mm, rounded and more or less oblique at base, acute or obtuse and mucronate at apex. Flowers fascicled in axils of leaves or fallen leaves, unisexual, the male flowers numerous at base of young twigs, the female flowers solitary and higher up the twig; male flowers pedicellate, with 6 pale green perianth lobes 1.5–2.5 mm long and 3 entirely connate stamens; female flowers sessile, with 6 somewhat larger perianth lobes, a cup-like disk, and a superior 3-celled ovary crowned by 3 styles, connate for more than half of their length and deeply bifid at apex. Fruit a depressed globose drupe up to 4 cm in diameter, pale green changing to yellow when mature; stone with 3 slightly dehiscent compartments, each usually containing 2 seeds. Seeds trigonous, 4–5 mm × 2–3 mm.

''Phyllanthus'' is a large genus comprising about 750 species in tropical and subtropical regions, with about 150 species in tropical Africa and about 60 in Madagascar. The feathery leafy and deciduous branchlets of several ''Phyllanthus'' spp. including ''Phyllanthus emblica'', resemble pinnate leaves, for instance those of ''Parkia'' species.

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[[Category:Dyes and tannins (PROTA)]]