Tamarind

Legumes - Fabaceae (Leguminosae). Parts used: fruit. Pharmacy name: tamarind pulp - Tamarindorum pulpa (formerly: Pulpa Tamarindorum).

Botanical description. This evergreen tree is apparently native to the tropics of Africa, but it is also cultivated in many other tropical areas. Tamarind reaches a height of 25 m, often the trunk girth is about 8 m.

The crown is very branched, with abundant foliage, the leaves are pinnate, the number of individual leaves is very large. Whitish flowers are collected in terminal racemes. Elongated coffee-brown fruits, slightly pointed at the end, most often somewhat curved, up to 20 cm in length.

The skin of the fruit is brittle. The seeds lie in white pulp - this is tamarind pulp.

Collection and preparation. Ripe fruits are collected and freed from the outer layer and seeds. The remaining white pulp is softened in hot water, passed through a sieve and then evaporated to a thick juice. Then sugar is added to it in a ratio of 1:5 and tamarind mousse is obtained, used as medicine.

Active ingredients. Pulp components are organic acids and invert sugar. When preparing a mousse used as a medicine, sugar is added.

Healing action and application. Tamarind mousse is a mild laxative that retains fluid in the intestines and thus has a laxative effect. Previously, it was given to children very often, and then consigned to oblivion.

Mixing with other laxatives, for example with finely powdered Alexandria leaf, buckthorn bark or medicinal rhubarb, enhances its effect. Side effects are unknown, except that an overdose leads to diarrhea.