Medicinal Uses of Coconut

[Guest guest]

Medicinal Uses of Coconut

Source: www.coconut-info.com

 

The parts of the coconut palm that are used in medicine are the roots, the

bark, the " bloom " of the leaf, the cabbage, the flowers, and the fruit

(husk, shell, water, endosperm, oil.)

The roots are astringent and used for dysentery and other intestinal

complaints. They are also antiscorbutic and diuretic.

 

The bark is used in some places for curing toothaches and earaches. The ash

of the bark is sometimes sued as a dentifrice and as antiseptic, and

sometimes prescribed in scabies.

The cabbage, or ubod, makes an excellent salad, and is used in the

Philippines in native pickles (achara), and is eaten in gulay, lumpia, etc.

It is nourishing and digestive, and reported to be cooling and diuretic.

 

The flowers are astringent, and used sometimes in the treatment of diabetes,

dysentery, leprosy, and urinary discharges.

The fibers of the trunk are recommended as a diuretic, and used sometimes in

the treatment of tapeworm and inflammation of the throat.

 

The shell of the coconut gives an empyreumatic product used generally in

toothache caused by caries, and in cutaneous disease. It is obtained by

burning the endocarp in a receptacle and condensing in another the volatile

products which separate.

 

The coconut water, when fresh, is astringent, and slightly acidic. Later on

the water loses its astringency and consists of 95 percent water, holding in

solution proteids, sugars, and salts. It is used as a diuretic. It is also

said to be cooling in urinary disorders. It is also reported to be

anthelmintic.

 

The tuba, or toddy, from the sap, is stimulating and acts as a mild

laxative. It is also reported to be a refrigerant and diuretic.

 

The coconut milk, which is the product of the expressed juice of the grated

endosperm, was popular during World War II and was used as a substitute for

cow's milk. Recent research shows that lauric acid is present, which is also

present in human mother's milk. The milk is reported to be refrigerant,

nutrient, aperient, diuretic, laxative, and anthelmintic.

 

The oil from coconuts is used much in the Philippines as a vehicle for

liniments in skin medicines and for other external applications. It is also

used for strengthening the hair, and is used with " gogo " to make a shampoo.