Tamarindus indica

Scientific name: Tamarindus indica L.

Botanical family: FABACEAE

Vernacular names

(In territories with significant traditional TRAMIL use)

Martinique:

tamarin

Honduras:

tamarindo

Cuba:

tamarindo

Dominican Republic:

tamarindo

Other vernacular names

Haiti:

tamaren

Guadeloupe:

tamarin acide

Geographical distribution

Native to tropical Africa, nowadays cultivated in the tropical areas all over the world.

Botanical description

Tree of up to 20 metres. Paripinnate leaves 5 to 15 cm long, 10 to 20 pairs of oblong leaflets. Inflorescences in short racemes with few flowers, axillary or terminal; calyx 4 parted, yellowish white with reddish tones; 5 petals, 2 small and scale-shaped and 3 large, oblanceolate, pale yellow glabrous tinged with orange or red. Indehiscent pod, 4 to 13 cm long, light brown in colour. Indehiscent seeds, from 1 to 12, oval compressed laterally, brown in colour.

Voucher(s)

Jiménez,692,JBSD

Germosén-Robineau,48,JBSD

Martínez,4670,ROIG

Fuentes,4786,ROIG

The fruit of Tamarindus indica is a food of relatively widespread human consumption.

For hepatitis or jaundice:
crush 40-50 grams of fruit after removing the seeds, add to 1⁄2 litre of boiled water, leave to stand for 12 hours and drink 1 cup twice a day. Or prepare a decoction with 30 grams of leaves in 4 cups (1 litre) of water, boil for 5 minutes in a covered vessel. Leave to cool, strain (filter) and drink 1 cup 3 times a day.

For constipation:
crush 40-50 grams of fruit after removing the seeds, blend with 1⁄2 litre of boiled water, drink 1 cup once or twice a day.

Preparations must never be stored for more than 24 hours, even if refrigerated.

According to the information available:

The use for constipation, hepatitis and jaundice is classified in the REC category based on the significant traditional use documented in the TRAMIL surveys, the toxicity study and the scientific information published.

Do not use laxatives or purgatives in case of intestinal obstruction or abdominal pain.

If deterioration is observed in the patient or the hepatitis persists for more than 5 days, the jaundice or the constipation for more than 3 days, seek medical attention.

Due to the health risk of hepatitis, an initial medical assessment is recommended. The use of this resource must be considered complementary to medical treatment, unless contraindicated.

Due to the risks of the interaction documented with aspirin^3-4and ibuprofen³, avoid the ingestion of the fruit in people taking these drugs because it increases bioavailability. This should also be avoided in people taking chloroquine⁵because it decreases its availability.

Not for use during pregnancy, breastfeeding or in children under 5 years.

TRAMIL Works^17-19
The aqueous extract (30% decoction) from the bark of the trunk (yield: 0.18 mg/ml, 36 mg of total solids/kg), fresh fruit (yield: 8.08 mg/ml, 1.6 g of total solids/kg) and fresh leaves (yield: 1.27 mg/ml, 254 mg of total solids/kg), orally in rats maximum volume of 2 ml/100 g; equivalent to 6 g of plant material/kg, single dose in the acute toxicity class model, did not cause death or evident signs of toxicity in the first 14 days of observation, nor did it show changes in the histopathological studies.

The fruit administered to Hisex Brown chickens (10% of its diet) showed hepatotoxic and nephrotoxic activity between days 21 and 35 of treatment, which partially persisted after 2 weeks of normal diet²⁰.

The aqueous extract from dried leaves (1 mg/plate) in isolated hepatocytes culture showed antihepatotoxic activity²¹.

The fruit, added to rat food rations, inhibited oxidation reactions in the liver⁶.

The fluid extract 70% from the rind of the fruit, in the in vivo micronucleus induction test in mouse bone marrow, showed no genotoxic effects (11.1%)²².

The aqueous leaf extract (decoction) did not cause genotoxicity²³.

The fruit showed mutagenic effect against the Salmonella thyphimurium strain TA-1535, but not on the 1537, 1538, or 98 strains²⁴.

The aqueous leaf extract (decoction, 1820 and 4000 mg/kg), orally in mice, acute toxicity model, did not cause any deaths orsigns of toxicity²⁵.

The alcoholic leaf extract (20% tincture), single dose limit (2000 mg/kg) orally and dermally (4 ml of the extract on 3x4 cm of skin for 24 hours), in Wistar rats of both sexes, did not cause any deaths or signs of toxicity²⁶.

The fruit is classified by the USA Food and Drug Administration in the “GRAS” category (Generally Regarded As Safe) orally and no more than 0.81% of the diet, implying that it is generally safe²⁷.

There is no information available documenting the safety of medicinal use in children, during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

The whole plant contains capsaicin, piperine and curcumin⁶.
The leaves are rich in a-oxo-glutaric, glyoxylic, oxaloacetic and oxalosuccinic acids⁷.

The fruit contains, in addition to the above-mentioned acids, tartaric (8-18%), acetic, citric, malic and succinic acids, sugars and pectins (2-3.5%)^7-8.

Proximate analysis of 100 g of leaves⁹: calories: 78; water: 77.2%; protein: 5.1%; fat: 1.0%; carbohydrates: 16.1%; fibre: 1.3%; ash: 0.6%; calcium: 24 mg; phosphorus: 52 mg; iron: 2.0 mg; sodium: 8 mg; potassium: 273 mg; carotene: 2510 μg; thiamine: 0.10 mg; riboflavin: 0.11 mg; niacin: 1.50 mg; ascorbic acid: 6 mg.

Proximate analysis of 100 g of the fresh fruit⁹: calories: 36; water: 88.9%; protein: 2.4%; fat: 0.3%; carbohydrates: 7.6%; fibre: 1%; ash: 0.8%; calcium: 92 mg; phosphorus: 51 mg; iron: 0.6 mg; sodium: 3 mg; potassium: 249 mg; carotene: 312 μg; thiamine: 0.17 mg; riboflavin: 0.21 mg; niacin: 1 mg; ascorbic acid: 31 mg.

TRAMIL Work¹⁰
The aqueous extract (infusion 15 minutes, followed by maceration 4 hours) from the dried leaves (1 mg of dried plant/ml), in vitro in isolated rat hepatocytes intoxicated by tert-butyl hydroperoxide (TBH) and against free radicals, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical inhibition model, showed an effect against TBH-induced cell necrosis and antilipoperoxidant activity.

TRAMIL Work¹¹
The fresh juice (15% of the ripe fruit, 1 and 10 g of plant material/kg), orally in male OF1 mice (20-25 g), 10 animals/group, intestinal transit model with 10% activate carbon (0.1 ml/10 g), did not significantly modify the intestinal transit.

The methanolic fruit extract (5.0-10.0 mg/ml) in vitro on isolated rabbit jejunum, showed a statistically significant relaxing effect (p < 0.05) mediated through the blockage of calcium channels¹².

The aqueous extract (33 ml/l) from fresh leaves and stems intraperitoneally in guinea pigs, and the ethanolic extract (95%, 3.3 ml/l) on isolated guinea pig ileum showed spasmolytic activity¹³.

The aqueous extract from the fruit (60-600 mg/kg) orally in rodents, in the acetic acid-induced contortion analgesia model, showed dose-dependent inhibition. It also increased the latency time in the hot plate test.

Both were statistically significant (p < 0.05), and therefore antinociceptive activity was recognised at both central and peripheral levels, mediated by the opioid mechanism¹⁴.

The aqueous extract from the fruit pulp (100 mg/kg) orally in rabbits, daily for 90 days, reduced fluoride toxicity in the liver¹⁵.

The aqueous extracts from the fruit, leaves (350 mg/kg) and unroasted seeds (700 mg/kg), orally in rats (intoxicated with paracetamol, 1 g/kg/7 days) for 9 days, showed a statistically significant (p < 0.05) hepatoregenerative effect from the third dose of paracetamol¹⁶.

Pharmacopoeia

Ed.3

References

1 LONGUEFOSSE JL, NOSSIN E, 1990-95
Enquête TRAMIL. Association pour la valorisation des plantes médicinales de la Caraïbe AVPMC, Fort de France, Martinique.

2 GERMOSEN-ROBINEAU L, GERONIMO M, AMPARO C, 1984
Encuesta TRAMIL. enda-caribe, Santo Domingo, Rep. Dominicana.

3 GARBA M, YAKASAI IA, BAKARE MT, MUNIR HY, 2003
Effect of Tamarindus indica L. on the bioavailability of ibuprofen in healthy human volunteers. Eur J Drug Metab Pharmacokinet 28(3):179-184.

4 MUSTAPHA A, YAKASAI IA, AGUYE IA, 1996
Effect of Tamarindus indica on the bioavailability of aspirin in healthy human volunteers. Eur J Drug Metab Pharmacokinet 21(3):223-226.

5 MAHMOUD BM, ALI HM, HOMEIDA MM, BENNETT JL, 1994
Significant reduction in chloroquine bioavailability following coadministration with the Sudanese beverages Aradaib, Karkabi and Lemon. J Antimicrob Chemother 33(5):1005-1009.

6 SAMBAIAH K, SRINIVASAN K, 1989
Influence of spices and spice principles on hepatic mixed function oxigenase system in rats. Indian J Biochem Biophys 26(4):254-258.

7 ASWAL BS, BHAKUNI DS, GOEL AK, KAR K, MEHROTRA BN, MUKHERJEE KC, 1984
Screening of Indian plants for biological activity: Part X. Indian J Exp Biol 22(6):312-332.

8 WATT JM, BREYER-BRANDWIJK MG, 1962
Medicinal and poisonous plants of Southern and Eastern Africa. Edinburgh & London, UK: 2nd ed. E. & S. Livingstone Ltd., 1457pp.

9 DUKE JA, ATCHLEY AA, 1986
Handbook of proximate analysis tables of higher plants. Boca Raton, USA: CRC Press. p156.

10 ARVIS PY, JOYEUX M, FLEURENTIN J, MORTIER F, PELT JM, 1986
Influences d’extraits de Cuscuta americana et Tamarindus indicus sur hépatocytes fraîchement isolés de rats. Travail TRAMIL. Laboratoire de pharmacognosie, Centre des Sciences pour l’Environnement, Metz, France.

11 MORON FJ, MOREJON Z, VICTORIA MC, BACALLAO Y, FUENTES V, 2009
Acción sobre el tránsito intestinal del zumo fresco del fruto maduro de Tamarindus indica L. (tamarindo) en ratones. Trabajo TRAMIL. Laboratorio Central de Farmacología, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas “Dr. Salvador Allende”, La Habana, Cuba.

12 ALI N, SHAH S, 2010
Spasmolytic activity of fruits of Tamarindus indica L. J Young Pharm 2(3):261-264.

13 FENG PC, HAYNES LJ, MAGNUS KE, PLIMMER JR, SHERRATT HS, 1962
Pharmacological screening of some West Indian medicinal plants. J Pharm Pharmacol 14:556-561.

14 KHALID S, SHAIK MOSSADEQ WM, ISRAF DA, HASHIM P, REJAB S, SHABERI AM, MOHAMAD AS, ZAKARIA ZA, SULAIMAN MR, 2010
In vivo analgesic effect of aqueous extract of Tamarindus indica L. fruits. Med Princ Pract 19(4):255-259.

15 RANJAN R, SWARUP D, PATRA RC, CHANDRA V, 2009
Tamarindus indica L. and Moringa oleifera M. extract administration ameliorates fluoride toxicity in rabbits. Indian J Exp Biol 47(11):900-905.

16 PIMPLE BP, KADAM PV, BADGUJAR NS, BAFNA AR, PATIL MJ, 2007
Protective effect of Tamarindus indica Linn against paracetamol-induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Indian J of Pharmaceutical Sciences 69(6):827-831.

17 MARTINEZ MJ, MOREJON Z, LOPEZ M, BOUCOURT E, FUENTES V, MORON F, 2005
Clases tóxicas agudas (CTA) de una decocción de corteza del tronco de Tamarindus indica L. Informe TRAMIL. Laboratorio Central de Farmacología, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas “Dr. Salvador Allende”, La Habana, Cuba.

18 MARTINEZ MJ, MOREJON Z, LOPEZ M, BOUCOURT E FUENTES V, MORON F, 2005
Clases tóxicas agudas (CTA) de decocción de pulpa de fruto fresco de Tamarindus indica L. Informe TRAMIL. Laboratorio Central de Farmacología, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas “Dr. Salvador Allende”, La Habana, Cuba.

19 MARTINEZ MJ, MOREJON Z, LOPEZ M, BOUCOURT E, FUENTES V, MORON F, 2005
Clases tóxicas agudas (CTA) de una decocción de hoja fresca de Tamarindus indica L. Informe TRAMIL. Laboratorio Central de Farmacología, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas “Dr. Salvador Allende”, La Habana, Cuba.

20 MOHAMEDAIN KM, MOHAMED OSA, EIBADWI SMA, ADAM SEI, 1996
Effect of feeding Tamarindus indica ripe fruit in brown hisex chicks. Phytother Res 10(7):631-633.

21 JOYEUX M, MORTIER F, FLEURENTIN J, 1995
Screening of antiradical, antilipoperoxidant and hepatoprotective effects of nine plant extracts used in Caribbean folk medicine. Phytother Res 9(3):228-230.

22 PILOTO FERRER J, VIZOSO A, RAMOS A, GARCIA A, REMIGIO A, VEGA Y, GONZALEZ ML, RODRIGUEZ C, CARBALLO C, 2009
Plantas medicinales. Diez años de evaluaciones toxicogenéticas en el CIDEM. Boletín Latinoamericano y del Caribe de Plantas Medicinales y Aromáticas 8(5):428-434.

23 RODRIGUEZ RI, AVILES L, 1995
Evaluación del efecto de las hojas de la especie Tamarindus indica L. sobre la morfología de los espermatozoides. Tesis de Diploma en opción al título de Licenciado en Ciencias Farmacéuticas. Universidad de Oriente, Santiago de Cuba.

24 SIVASWAMY SN, BALACHANDRAN B, BALANEHRU S, SIVARAMAKRISHNAN VM, 1991
Mutagenic activity of South Indian food items. Indian J Exp Biol 29(8):730-737.

25 PASCUAL JR, 1993
Toxicidad aguda oral de las hojas de Tamarindus indica. Informe de trabajo. Grupo de Toxicología Experimental, Instituto Superior de Ciencias Médicas, Santiago de Cuba. Inédito.

26 DEHESA MA, 2005
Contribución al estudio químico farmacéutico de las hojas de la especie Tamarindus indica L. Tesis en opción al grado científico de Doctor en Ciencias Farmacéuticas. Universidad de la Habana, Cuba.

27 NATURAL STANDARD, 2011

Tamarind (Tamarindus indica L.). Foods, Herbs & Supplements. http://naturalstandard.com/index-abstract.asp?create-abstract=flashcard…. asp&title=Tamarind (25dic2011)

Disclaimer

The information provided is for educational purposes only for the benefit of the general public and health professionals. It is not intended to take the place of either the written law or regulations. Since some parts of plants could be toxic, might induce side effects, or might have interactions with certain drugs, anyone intending to use them or their products must first consult with a physician or another qualified health care professional. TRAMIL has no responsibility whatsoever towards the user for any decision, action or omission made in relation to the information contained in this Pharmacopoeia.

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