Bioactive Compounds of Bhoomi Amla (Phyllanthus niruri): Nutritional and Pharmacological Aspects

Phyllanthus niruri, a tropical shrub from the family Euphorbiaceae is common in tropical and subtropical regions of the world including India and Sri Lanka. For decades Phyllanthus niruri has been used vastly in traditional medicine and is reported for versatile pharmacological effects including antioxidant, anti-microbial, hepatoprotective, immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-tumour, etc. which are chiefly attributed to their ample phytochemicals. Due to the complicated and inefficient extraction methods of Phyllanthus niruri phytochemicals, little attention was paid to its pharmacological properties. In recent years, with the development of extraction technology, the phytoconstituents of Phyllanthus niruri are much easier to obtain with high purity and activity than before. In this chapter, we have summarized the geographical distribution, phytochemical composition, pharmacological effects, clinical studies, and safety and toxicological studies of Phyllanthus niruri.