Five Amla-Related Patents Granted In Us

After Basmati, it is amla, the popular Indian gooseberry, which has lured foreign companies to file applications for patents. Already a dozen applications have been filed with patent offices across the world with just one application by Lupin Labs at the Indian patent office.

One of the applications, relating to a hair blackening composition extracted from the amla fruit, has been filed by Unilever in the Japanese patent office. These applications need to be monitored to find out the exact nature of the claims. It is possible that patents have been claimed for some extracts from the amla fruit.

These patent applications also have to be evaluated to see whether they are likely to have any direct or indirect effect on exports of amla based products from India. While most of the applications are for uses of amla which have been known for many years, the compositions and processes claimed may not be identical to those already known, says the Intellectual Property Rights Bulletin of the Technology Information Forecasting and Assessment Council (TIFAC).

 

Five amla-related patents have already been granted by the US patent office (USPTO). In addition, 4 amla-related applications have been filed at the Japanese patent office, 2 at the European patent office (EPO) and 5 patent cooperation treaty (PCT) applications are in the pipeline.

Despite the varied uses to which the berry is put, not too many patents have been granted as yet. Among the USPTO patents, is one for a composition of herbal tea in which amla is one of the constituents, another is for a method for obtaining natural antioxidants and cosmetic, pharmaceutical and nutritional formulations.

Another patent, granted to an Indian national, relates to an ayurvedic composition comprising of amla and other herbs for treatment of diseases like AIDS, tuberculosis, flu and other immuno-deficiencies. The composition can be dispensed in powder, capsule or syrup form. Processes for preparing various compositions have also been claimed. There is also a patent for a composition useful in treating psoriasis and eczema.

One application pending at the Japanese patent office is for a composition containing amla which is useful as a therapeutic agent for rheumatism and deformant arthritis. This composition which acts as an inhibitor is added to food, beverages, bread and confectionery. Both the applications pending in the EPO are for cosmetic uses of amla.