Emblicanins are a type of polyphenolic antioxidant found in Amla, which is also known as the Indian gooseberry or Emblica Officinalis in botanical terms. Emblicanin is different from most other antioxidants as it is a pro-oxidation free cascading antioxidant.
Many antioxidants intrinsically have a pro-oxidant action, especially in the presence of transition metals like iron and copper. Through a series of reactions with oxygen species known as Fenton reaction, iron causes generation of highly toxic hydroxyl radical with subsequent biomolecule damage. It means that the antioxidants which are meant to scavenge free radicals themselves create free radicals.
While most antioxidants go directly from an active to an inactive role, Emblicanin utilizes a multilevel cascade of antioxidant compounds resulting in a prolongation of its antioxidant capabilities.
Emblicanin A (one of the key compounds in Emblicanin) aggressively seeks and attacks free radicals. After it neutralizes a free radical, emblicanin A is transformed into emblicanin B, another antioxidant. Emblicanin B in turn also attacks free radicals and is transformed into Emblicanin oligomers. This makes emblicanins one of the best free radical scavenging antioxidant.
Administration in rats of emblicanins extracts reduces chronic stress induced changes in rat brain