Tamarind

• What other names is Tamarind known by?
• What is Tamarind?
• How does Tamarind work?
• Are there safety concerns?
• Are there any interactions with medications?
• Dosing considerations for Tamarind.

What other names is Tamarind known by?

Imlee, Imli, Tamarin, Tamarindo, Tamarindus indica, Tamarinier, Tamarinier d'Inde, Tintiri.

What is Tamarind?

Tamarind is a tree. Its partially dried fruit is used to make medicine.

People take tamarind for constipation, liver and gallbladder problems, and stomach disorders. It is also used to treat colds and fever. Women sometimes use tamarind to treat pregnancy-related nausea. It is given to children to treat intestinal worms.

Sometimes a thick paste of tamarind seeds is used as a cast for broken bones.

An extract of tamarind seeds is used in eye drops for dry eyes.

In foods and beverages, tamarind is used as flavoring. It is also widely used in Asian cooking for chutneys and curries.

Insufficient Evidence to Rate Effectiveness for...

• Dry eyes. Early research shows that eye drops containing tamarind seed extract might improve symptoms of dry eye.
• Constipation.
• Colds.
• Fever.
• Liver and gallbladder problems.
• Stomach disorders.
• Pregnancy-related nausea.
• Intestinal worms.
• Other conditions.

More evidence is needed to rate the effectiveness of tamarind for these uses.

Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database rates effectiveness based on scientific evidence according to the following scale: Effective, Likely Effective, Possibly Effective, Possibly Ineffective, Likely Ineffective, and Insufficient Evidence to Rate (detailed description of each of the ratings).