Amla Supplementation Lessens Severity & Length of COVID-19 Related Symptoms in Adults

by | Jul 18, 2022 | 2022, Botanicals, COVID-19

Written by Taylor Woosley, Staff Writer. 10-day consumption of amla (either 2 g of the sachet powder or 100 cc amla tea/day) given to subjects recently diagnosed with COVID-19 resulted in a significant increase in SpO2 levels compared to the control arm (P < 0.001), along with a reduction in the mean percentage of lung involvement on CT (P < 0.001) and an improvement in CRP test results (P < 0.001).

COVID-19COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization in March 2020 and has resulted in more than 6 million deaths worldwide 1. SARS-CoV-2, a novel coronavirus which causes respiratory illness, has negatively affected patients and healthcare systems worldwide 2. Symptoms of infection largely depend on the age, comorbidities, and the state of the infected individual’s immune system 3. A wide spectrum of respiratory symptoms has been reported, ranging from mild flu-like symptoms to severe and life-threatening pneumonia 4.

Phyllanthus emblica L., known as amla or Indian gooseberry, is a polyphenol-rich medicinal plant that possesses antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties 5. Furthermore, amla contains hundreds of chemical constituents, namely phenolic acids, tannins, alkaloids, flavonoids, and vitamin C 6. Amla’s high levels of antioxidants have been studied for its ability to aid in immune system functioning 7. The bioactive compounds of this plant have the potential to act as an immunomodulator and may reduce cytokine storm against viral infections 8.

Varnasseri et al. conducted a randomized, double-blind, controlled trial to determine the efficacy of amla on diagnostic RT-PCR test results in patients with COVID-19. Subjects were monitored for symptom severity, along with additional blood work pertaining to lymphocyte levels, mean hemoglobin levels, platelet count, oxygen saturation (SpO2), and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, and the percentage of lung involvement through CT imaging. Subjects were assigned to one of two groups, the intervention arm (n=31, received 2 g of Amla powder or 100 cc Amla tea/day) and the control arm (n=30, received 2 g of sachet powder of Starch). Primary outcomes included a change in COVID-19 test results between the first and last day (day 10) of the study using RT-PCR. Secondary outcomes include changes in clinical symptoms, changes in blood work and oxygen saturation levels, along with differences in pulmonary imaging results compared to day one of the study. Significant findings of the 10-day study are as follows:

  • Significant changes in the mean SpO2 levels were observed in the intervention arm compared to the control arm (P < 0.001).
  • A significant decrease in the mean percentage of lung involvement on CT scans was observed in both groups (p < 0.001).
  • The mean ± SD of length of hospital stay in the intervention arm (4.44 days) was significantly shorter in the control arm (7.18 days; p < 0.001).
  • Significant changes were also noted in the intervention arm for improvement in C-reactive protein test results (p < 0.001).
  • In the intervention group, 23 (76.7%) and 8 (23.3%) patients had negative and trace CRP levels, respectively, compared to 12 patients (40%) and 14 patients (46.7%) in the control group.

Findings of the 10-day study show that amla supplementation may aid in reducing the severity and length of symptoms related to COVID-19 infection. Study limitations include the failure to assess clinical findings related to subject’s smoking status and disease complications, lack of prolonged follow-up outcomes to further observe the use of amla for COVID-19 symptoms, and the small sample size of the study. Future studies should further examine the potential immunomodulatory properties of amla and its affects on viral infections.

Source: Varnasseri, Mehran, Amir Siahpoosh, Khojasteh Hoseinynejad, Fetemeh Amini, Masoumeh Karamian, Mohammad Jafar Yad Yad, Bahman Cheraghian, and Azar Dokht Khosravi. “The effects of add-on therapy of Phyllanthus Emblica (Amla) on laboratory confirmed COVID-19 Cases: A randomized, double-blind, controlled trial.” Complementary Therapies in Medicine 65 (2022): 102808.

© 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license

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Posted July 18, 2022.

Taylor Woosley studied biology at Purdue University before becoming a 2016 graduate of Columbia College Chicago with a major in Writing. She currently resides in Glen Ellyn, IL.

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