Help with email validation

[dbh_21]

Hi there. I need help with my email validation, to tell the user if they have entered is the correct syntax for an email address.

heres what ive got so far:

email_txt.restrict = "a-z_.@0-9";
email_txt.maxChars = 40;

status_txt.text = '';

submit_btn.onRelease = function()
{
var email = email_txt.text;

// are all the fields filled?
if (email == '') {
status_txt.text = "Enter Your Email";
return;
}


// yes, all fields filled
sendEmail(email);

// sending data...
status_txt.text = "Processing...";

// prevent submitting again by disabling the button
this.enabled = true;
};


function sendEmail(email)
{
var myData = new LoadVars();

myData.email = email;

myData.onLoad = function(ok) {
if (ok) {
status_txt.text = this.message;
} else {
status_txt.text = "Try Again Later";
}
submit_btn.enabled = true;
};

myData.sendAndLoad('contactform.php', myData, 'POST');
}


Thanks in advance