Phylanthusemblica or
Emblicaofficinalis, commonly known as Indian gooseberry or Amla, belongs to the family phyllanthaceae, is known as richest source of vitamin C. The medicinal properties of Amla were well known since ancient period and were reported in ancient Indian Ayurvedic Medicine for preventing infection, hair treatment and different skin disease, Since early 1980s, an alarming problem of ground water arsenic (As) contamination has devastated eastern Indian regions. Arsenic is a known human carcinogen and an environmental pollutant known to cause adverse health effects such as liver injury, neurotoxicity, increase risk of cancers of skin, lung, bladder and liver. As many natural herbs, which can be consumed through our diet, possess excellent chemo-preventive properties, our present study was conducted to examine the anti-clastogenic and hepato-protective properties of Amla extract against Arsenic induced chromosomal aberration and hepato-toxicity in mice
in vivo. To check
in vitro total antioxidant property of Amlaextract, phosphomolybdenum method was performed. Our result demonstrated that, orally administered Amla extract (60mg/kg/b.w.) are effective in counteracting the clastogenecity of the most potent form of arsenic, sodium arsenite in mice
in vivo. It also shows good amount of hepato-protective property against sodium arsenite. These results suggest that the use of Amla, which have a good antioxidant property, in diet, may give an effective protection against the health crisis generated by arsenic.