TAMARIND

Inner parts of the pod or fruit
A fully grown Tamarind tree
Tamarind fruits on the tree
                             
Tamarind is, a single specie plant which belongs to the fabaceae family,and plantae kingdom.The scientific names are: Tamarindus Indica,Tamarindus Officinalis Gaerth,Tamarindus Officinalis Hook,Tamarindus Occidentalis Gaerth,and Tamarindus Umbrosa Salisb.The known common names are tamar hindi(Arabic),tsamiyar or tsamia (Northern Nigeria),tamarind(Swedish),ambilam,amilam(Tamil),tamarind(Japanese),tamarin(Greek),tamar indien(French),etc.
Tamarind is such a tall tree,which grows slowly.It has pod-form of fruits,and looks reddish brown when fully matured.Tamarindus indica,is native to Tropical Africa,and widely planted throughout the globe.It is also much available in countries of Asia,and the Latin American countries.
The tree measures up to 24-30 meters long.It's fruits are edible and used as food,to season cookeries.Yet it ,has a lot of medicinal values.In Nigeria,West Africa,Tamarind tree are found in the northern part of the country.It is not known in southern region of Nigeria.But among the Hausa-speaking people of Northern Nigeria,the fruit is used as a seasoning or spice for dishes

The Uses Of Tamarind :
1.Food : This plant or herb has been found highly nutritious among different peoples of the world as it is today. Tamarindus Indica is,used as food because of it's high pepto-medicinal values.As I have already mentioned,the northern people of Nigeria usually use the paste extracts to prepare what is known as "kunu tsamia" or kunun samiyar".The kunu is a local dish in form of pap.The reason is that it gives the meal a wonderful tantalizing taste,and as well aids digestion thereby preventing constipation and indigestion.And we know that whatever aids or improves digestion,can equally aid or improve metabolism in the human body.
As it is today in Nigeria,a company based in the north,has produced a "Tamarind Millet Gruel" called Kunu Tsamiya.The product can be picked over-the-canter(OTC) in major superstores and related shopping centers in that region.
As at today,Tamarind products are being used in different cuisines of the world.The Jamaican,Indian,Mexican,European/Western,and Thai cuisines have it all.

2.Medicine : Medicinal uses and values of Tamarind are too numerous to mention.
Pulp&fruits-In the traditional or alternative medicine,pulp extracts of tamarind have been official ,even in the British and American pharmacopoeias and large quantities of the shelled fruits have been imported annually into the U.S drug trade,basically from the Antilles and Mexico.Tamarind preparations are universally recognized as refrigerants in fevers,in laxatives and carminatives.Alone or in combination with natural honey,lime juice,spices,milk,dates or camphor,the pulp is considered effective as a digestive,even  for elephants,and as a remedy for biliousness and bile disorders and as anti-scorbutic.In native practice,the pulp is applied on inflammations,used to gargle the mouth for sore throat and mouth ulcers,mixed with salt as a liniment for rheumatism.It is further administerted to alleviate sun stroke,datu poisoning and alcoholic intoxication.In Southeast Asia,the fruit is recommended to counteract the ill effects of overdoses of false chaumoogra,hydnocarpus,anthelmintic pierre,given in leprosy.It has also been used to aid restoration of sensation in cases of paralysis.In Colombia,ointment made from tamarind pulp,butter,and other ingredients are used to rid domestic animals of vermin.
Fruit Shells: Fruit shells are burned and reduced to an alkaline ash which enters into medicinal formulas.

Leaves and Flowers: the leaves and flowers are either boiled or dried for use as poultice for swollen joints,sprains and boils.Lotions and other extracts made from them are used in treating conjunctivitis,as antiseptic,as vermifuges,treatments for dysentery,for hemorrhoids and various other ailments.
Bark: Bark of tamarindus indica Linn is, an effective astringent,tonic and febrifuge.Fried with salt and pulverized to an ash,it is given as remedy for indigestion and colic.A decoction is used in cases of conjunctivitis and asthma and eye inflammations.Lotion and poultice made from the bark are applied on open sores and caterpillar rashes.
Seeds:  Seeds of tamarind are crushed, powdered and finally made into paste  for use in drawing boils and with or without cumin seeds and palm sugar,are recommended for chronic diarrhea,and dysentery.Seed coat too,is an astringent,and it also is specified for the later problems.
Roots:  Roots of tamarind roots are made as infusion or tea ,and used in curing chest complaints and as an ingredient in traditional and alternative medicine for leprosy.

Leaves and roots contain glycosides,vitexin,isovtexin,orientin and isoorientin.The bark yields the alkaloid,hordenine as properties.

Packaging/Presentation:

The food herb is packaged in various forms.Formulators of natural products have been able to present or package tamarind products in more portable forms,such as in canned juice(ready-to-serve),tamarind paste(plastic jars&aluminum tubes),tamarind cubes.These are all available and can be picked over-the-canter(OTC) in most countries of the world.
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