TAMARIND Overview Information
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.
How does it work?
Tamarind contains ingredients that might have laxative effects and some activity against certain fungi and bacteria.
Researchers are studying tamarind as a possible treatment for dry eyes because it contains a chemical that is similar to mucin found in the eye. Mucin helps protect and wet the surface of the cornea.
TAMARIND Uses & Effectiveness 
Insufficient Evidence for:
- Dry eyes. Developing 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.
TAMARIND Side Effects & Safety
Tamarind is safe when used in food amounts. There isn't enough information available to know if tamarind is safe for use as a medicine.
Special Precautions & Warnings:
Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Tamarind is safe for pregnant and breast-feeding women in food amounts. But larger medicinal amounts should be avoided until more is known.TAMARIND Interactions
Moderate Interaction Be cautious with this combination
- Aspirin interacts with TAMARIND
Taking tamarind with aspirin might increase how much aspirin the body absorbs. This could increase the amount of aspirin in the body and might increase the chance of aspirin side effects.
- Ibuprofen interacts with TAMARIND
Taking tamarind with ibuprofen might increase how much ibuprofen the body absorbs. This could increase the amount of ibuprofen in the body and might increase the chance of ibuprofen side effects.
TAMARIND Dosing
The appropriate dose of tamarind depends on several factors such as the user's age, health, and several other conditions. At this time there is not enough scientific information to determine an appropriate range of doses for tamarind. Keep in mind that natural products are not always necessarily safe and dosages can be important. Be sure to follow relevant directions on product labels and consult your pharmacist or physician or other healthcare professional before using.
