TAMARIND

                                                  TAMARIND

                                               (Tamarindus indica)

Tamarind: is the partially dried ripe fruit of Tamarindus indica Linn.           (Leguminnosae/Caesalpinieaceae).   It is an evergreen tree with large trunk and dark grey bark, up to 20m high; native to tropical Asia and Africa. Cultivated worldwide (e.g. China, India, Africa and West Indies).

 The fruit is an indehiscent pod with fleshy mericarp, which hold from 4-12 irregular seeds. The drug has been deprived of the other layer of pericarp and preserved with sugar. The pulp is reddish brewn, has a mild sweet taste.

Chemical constituents :  

    Pulp is rich in pectin and monosaccharide (20-40%). It contains 10-15% organic acids such as tartaric acid, citric acid in the free state but as salt the main component is potassium hydrogen tartarate.

Health Food :

    Tamarind is used in folklore medicine as health food, as laxative and in dysentery. Widely used in Asia as an ingredient in chutneys and curries and also used as flavor ingredient in sauces and other food products, fats oils and gravies as an health food supplements.