Abstract : The fruits of Emblica officinalis Gaertn. (Euphorbiaceae), also known as amla in Ayurveda, are considered to be a rich source of ascorbic acid. However, the antioxidant activities exhibited by E. officinalis extract are superior to those of ascorbic acid itself. Low molecular hydrolyzable tannins emblicanins A and B have been suggested in the earlier literature to be the contributory antioxidant molecules in the extract. This work finds no evidence for the presence of emblicanins A and B in the extract. In addition, the high content of ascorbic acid is also questionable due to previous nonidentification of coeluting mucic acid gallates. This paper reports a new HPLC method to detect even trace amounts of ascorbic acid in E. officinalis fruit juice or extract.
Conclusion (partial) : The studies, in conclusion, indicate that earlier methods of estimations of ascorbic acid did not resolve coeluting mucic acid gallates. For several decades this fruit has been claimed to be a rich source of ascorbic acid. Therefore, the previous claim that amla fruits are a “good source of vitamin C” is questionable (5). During our attempts to quantify the ascorbic acid with newly developed methods, we found that ascorbic acid was present below the quantifiable limits of HPLC-DAD (LOD ) 1 ppm and LOQ ) 3 ppm). The new HPLC method (method b) is undoubtedly, however, a very reliable method for the accurate detection of free ascorbic acid in E. officinalis fruit extract or juice. Moreover, the earlier reported antioxidant hydrolyzable tannins, emblicanins A and B, correspond to -glucogallin (1) and mucic acid 1,4-lactone 5-O-gallate (2), respectively, as established in this work. The trace amount of free ascorbic acid in E. officinalis fruit extract suggests that the antioxidant effects exhibited by the E. officinalis fruit are due to gallic acid esters. Furthermore, it can be suggested that mucic acid lactone and ascorbic acid may be related biosynthetically in E. officinalis fruits.
Ascorbic Acid and Tannins from Emblica officinalis Gaertn. Fruits : A Revisit - Muhammed Majeed, Beena Bhat, Atul N. Jadhav, Jyotish S. Srivastava, And Kalyanam Nagabhushanam, J. Agric. Food Chem

BACKGROUND: Emblica officinalis, known as amla in Ayurveda, has been used as a folkmedicine to treat numerous pathological conditions, including diabetes. However, the novel extract of E. officinalis fruit extract (amla fruit extract, AFE, Saberry®) containing 100 g kg−1 beta-glucogallin along with hydrolyzable tannins has not yet been extensively studied for its antidiabetic potential.
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the antidiabetic and antioxidant activities of AFE and its stability during gastric stress as well as its thermostability.
METHODS: The effect of AFE on the inhibition of pancreatic alpha-amylase and salivary alpha-amylase enzymes was studied using starch and yeast alpha-glucosidase enzyme using 4-nitrophenyl alpha-D-glucopyranoside as substrate. Further, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging and reactive oxygen species inhibition assay was performed against AFE.
RESULTS: AFE potently inhibited the activities of alpha-amylase and alpha-glucosidase in a concentration-dependent manner with half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of 135.70 µgmL−1 and 106.70 µgmL−1 respectively. Furthermore, it also showed inhibition of alpha-glucosidase (IC50 562.9 µgmL−1) and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4; IC50 3770 µgmL−1) enzyme activities. AFE is a potent antioxidant showing a free radical scavenging activity (IC50 2.37 µgmL−1) and protecting against cellular reactive oxygen species (IC50 1.77 µgmL−1), and the effects elicited could be attributed to its phytoconstituents.
CONCLUSION: AFE showed significant gastric acid resistance and was also found to be thermostable against wet heat. Excellent alpha-amylase, alpha-glucosidase, and DPP-4 inhibitory activities of AFE, as well as antioxidant activities, strongly recommend its use for the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus.
This study demonstrates for the first time that AFE standardized to contain BGG along with hydrolyzable tannins possesses potent antidiabetic activity via inhibiting the activity of porcine pancreatic alpha-amylase, human salivary alpha-amylase, alpha-glucosidase, and DPP-4 enzyme. Further, it also exhibited antioxidant activities through free radical scavenging activity using DPPH radical scavenging and ROS inhibition assay. Although further in vivo study may be needed, the data presented in this study clearly provide the evidence of the effectiveness of AFE containing BGG along with hydrolyzable tannins as biomarkers in the management of hyperglycemia.
Keyword : type 2 diabetes mellitus; Saberry®; amla fruit extract; alpha-amylase; alpha-glucosidase; DPP-4; beta-glucogallin
Standardized Emblica officinalis fruit extract inhibited the activities of alpha-amylase, alpha-glucosidase, and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 and displayed antioxidant potential, Muhammed Majeed, Shaheen Majeed, Lakshmi Mundkur, Kalyanam Nagabhushanam, Sivakumar Arumugam, Kirankumar Beede and Furqan Ali

Abstract The efficacy of Emblica officinalis extract (EOE) containing 10% β-Glucogallin was compared against Metformin in newly diagnosed subjects with diabetic dyslipidemia which is a significant factor in cardiovascular disease. Daily administration with EOE-1g, EOE-2g, or Metformin 500mg for 90 days significantly decreased fasting blood sugar and postprandial blood glucose (FBS and PPBS), hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and lipid levels in all three treatment groups. The FBS, PPBS and HbA1c were significantly lower in the EOE-2g group compared with Metformin and EOE-1g groups. The reductions in LDL and TC in the EOE-2g group were also significantly higher than in the EOE-1g group and were comparable to the Metformin group. No serious adverse effects were observed in any study participants. EOE-1g and 2g/day are safe and potent antidiabetic agents, with comparable efficacy to the pharmaceutical drug, Metformin. Supplementation with EOE- 2g/day showed greater efficacy than Metformin in reducing circulating glucose levels.
Conclusion : The present data provide strong evidence that Saberry (EOE standardized for 10% BGG) at 1g and 2g/day is safe, well tolerated and exerted effective antidiabetic and lipid-lowering activities in diabetic dyslipidemia patients. More importantly, EOE at a dose of 2 g/day showed superior antidiabetic and anti-dyslipidemia activities compared to the pharmaceutical drug, Metformin. Natural products such as standardized extract of E. officinalis is an attractive lead as a potential supplement for the management of T2DM with associated dyslipidemia since their low toxicity allows them to be used as long-term prophylactics
Keywords: Diabetes, Dyslipidemia, Metformin, Emblica officinalis, β-Glucogallin, Hyperglycemia
Novel Emblica officinalis extract containing β-Glucogallin vs. Metformin: A randomized, open-label, comparative efficacy study in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus patients with dyslipidemia, Muhammed Majeed et al., Food & Function, 2022, DOI: 10.1039/D2FO01862D

Principle: The cell viability of Swiss 3T3 mouse fibroblasts with and without sample treatment after UV exposure is analyzed by Neutral Red Uptake (NRU) assay. The absorbance due to the viable cells is read at 492nm in a Microplate reader.
Result: IC50 of Saberry is 14µg/ml for UV A protection and IC50 of Saberry is 42µg/ml for UV B protection
Note: IC50 is the concentration required for 50% protection from UV. Lower IC50 indicates better efficacy
UV Protection Study (part of in-vitro profile study) / Amla (Saberry)

Amla, commonly called Indian gooseberry, is a deciduous tree belonging to the family Phyllathaceae; it is botanically classified as Phyllanthus emblica L. and synonymously as Emblica ofjicinalis Gaertn. The tree grows in subtropical and tropical regions, and is native to the Indian subcontinent. According to Indian mythology, it is believed to be the first tree created in the universe.
While amla contains trace to very low quantities of vitamin C, the unfounded myth that it contained appreciable vitamin C persisted and gained currency. It was mentioned in research articles published in 1935 and 1944 that the fruit has intact vitamin C even when desiccated, due to its mechanism to prevent vitamin C from oxidation, and that it contained "290-468mg percent of vitamin C" and was a "strikingly rich source of vitamin C". While later research clearly showed the absence of high contents of vitamin C in Amla, it was harder to dispel the myth.

Saberry, a proprietary extract of Emblica officinalis, manufactured and marketed by Sabinsa, is standardised to 10% beta-glucogallin as a biomarker. Saberry was proven to have better antioxidant potential than ascorbic acid and was also shown to have a reactive oxygen species (ROS) inhibitory effect, thereby increasing cells' tolerance of UVB stress and preventing tanning due to sun exposure. Aqueous amla fruit extract was shown to have hepatoprotective activity against CCL4 induced toxicity in female wistar rats. beta-glucogallin was also found to be an excellent anti-inflammatory agent by lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory markers. Hence, the quintessential activity of the aqueous extract is accurately represented by the new biomarker beta-glucogallin.