Cashew nut (Kaju): Traditional Medicinal Uses

Cashew or Kaju is a useful tree as different parts of it are used either individually or collectively to treat several diseases. Fresh or hot water extract of different plant parts is used orally as aphrodisiac, antidysenteric, antihemorrhagic, and externally as anti-inflammatory. Its medicinal uses practiced traditionally in different countries are summarized below

Leaf:

Hot water extracts of dried leaf are used orally for diabetes in Brazil and Thailand, diarrhea in Tanzania and externally to wash ulcers in West Indies.

Seed:

Seeds are consumed orally in Colombia as aphrodisiac (to increase sex desire) and to cure the impotency whereas in Cuba, seeds are first toasted and then their powder is mixed with sugar to be consumed as an aphrodisiac. Indians also use dried seeds orally as an aphrodisiac. Hot water extract of the seed is used orally in Peru as antidysentric, antihemorrhagic, purgative and respiratory stimulant, and used externally as anti-inflammatory. It is a common practice in Peru to use hot water extract of seed for cure of warts.People in West Indies treat uterine disorders with juice of the seed. The juice is taken orally for this purpose.

Bark:

Hot water extract of the bark is used  to treat amenorrhea in Haiti, to increase fertility in women in Ghana and  to help people manage diabetes in Jamaica. In other African countries, water extract of the bark is taken orally as antidysenteric, hypotensive and hypoglycemic (in Madagascar). In Panama, hot water extract is used externally as an anti-inflammatory agent. People consume it orally to treat diarrhea in Panama and Senegal.

Fruit:

Hot water extract of both ripe as well as unripe fruit and also of dried kernel is used to treat several ailments in different countries. Indians use hot water extract of the dried kernel as an aphrodisiac while decoction of dried kernel is used for diabetes mellitus in Europe. The unripe fruit juice is taken orally to treat hemorrhage and diarrhea and juice of ripe fruit is taken orally as a diuretic and anti-scorbutic in Guinea. In Ghana, extract of dried fruit prepared with hot water is used as a wash to treat yaws. Exudate of fresh pericarp is used externally as an emollient for chilblains and also as an insecticide to prevent termite attack in India. In Senegal, Hot water extract of the cashew nut fruit is used together with Securinega virosa as an aphrodisiac. It is believed that throat pain gets relieved if fruit is consumed empty stomach as it's a common practice in Panama. Hot water extract of dried fruit is used both orally as well as externally in Peru. It is used orally as antidysenteric, antihemorrhagic, purgative and respiratory stimulant whereas externally it is used for treatment of warts and inflammation.

Plant:

In Panama, people suffereing from hypertension drink hot water extract of entire plant. They also use it as a diuretic.

Acknowledgment/Source:

Evan A. Ross (2001). Medicinal Plants of the World, Volume 2, Chemical Constituents, Traditional and Modern Medicinal Uses.  Humana Press, Totowa, New Jersey, pp. 487.