Emblica officinalis Gaertn. or Phyllanthus emblica Linn, commonly known as Indian gooseberry or amla, is arguably the most important medicinal plant in the Indian traditional system of medicine, the Ayurveda. Amla is one of the most extensively studied plants and reports suggest that it contains tannins, alkaloids, and phenolic compounds. Amla is a rich source of vitamin C and acts as a potent antioxidant that helps in scavenging the free radicals that cause damage to cellular functions.  A number of medicinal properties are ascribed to amla and it is a necessary constituent of many Ayurvedic medicines.

Preclinical studies have shown that amla possesses multifaceted applications in the treatment of various diseases. In addition, experimental studies have shown that amla and its phytochemicals & norsesquiterpenoids, also possess antineoplastic effects. Amla is also reported to possess radiomodulatory, chemomodulatory, chemopreventive effects, free radical scavenging, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimutagenic and immunomodulatory activities, properties that are efficacious in the treatment and prevention of cancer.