Tamarind: Overview, Uses, Side Effects, Precautions, Interactions, Dosing and Reviews

Overview

Tamarind (Tamarindus indica) is a tree found in tropical Africa and southern Asia. The fruit pulp is widely used in Asian culture.

Tamarind contains ingredients that might have laxative effects and fight against certain fungi and bacteria. It also contains a chemical that is similar to mucin found in the eye. Mucin helps protect and wet the surface of the cornea.

People use tamarind for dry eye, constipation, parasite infections, early orgasm (premature ejaculation), and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support most of these uses.

Uses & Effectiveness

Possibly Effective for

Dry eye. Using eye drops containing tamarind seed extract, alone or with other ingredients, seems to help relieve dry eye.
A condition caused by ingestion of too much fluoride (fluorosis). Taking tamarind by mouth increases the amount of fluoride removed from the body in the urine. But it's not clear if this reduces symptoms of fluorosis.

Possibly Ineffective for

Early orgasm (premature ejaculation). Taking tamarind seed powder by mouth does not seem to improve early orgasm or satisfaction during intercourse.

There is interest in using tamarind for a number of other purposes, but there isn't enough reliable information to say whether it might be helpful.

Side Effects

When taken by mouth: Tamarind is commonly consumed in foods. There isn't enough reliable information to know if tamarind is safe when used in larger amounts as medicine.

When placed into the eyes: Tamarind seed extract is possibly safe when used in eye drops.

Special Precautions and Warnings

Pregnancy and breast-feeding: There isn't enough reliable information to know if tamarind is safe to use when pregnant or breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and stick to food amounts.

Surgery: Tamarind seed might lower blood sugar levels. This might interfere with blood sugar control during and after surgery. Stop using tamarind at least 2 weeks before a scheduled surgery.

Interactions

Moderate Interaction

Be cautious with this combination

Medications for diabetes (Antidiabetes drugs) interacts with Tamarind
Tamarind might lower blood sugar levels. Taking tamarind along with diabetes medications might cause blood sugar to drop too low. Monitor your blood sugar closely.
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 side effects.
Ibuprofen (Advil, others) 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 side effects.

Dosing

There isn't enough reliable information to know what an appropriate dose of tamarind might be. 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 a healthcare professional before using.

View References

REFERENCES:

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Electronic Code of Federal Regulations. Title 21. Part 182 -- Substances Generally Recognized As Safe. Available at: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?CFRPart=182

Garba M, Yakasai IA, Bakare MT, Munir HY. Effect of Tamarindus indica. L on the bioavailability of ibuprofen in healthy human volunteers. Eur J Drug Metab Pharmacokinet 2003;28:179-84.

Mustapha A, Yakasai IA, Abdu Aguye I. Effect of Tamarindus indica L. on the bioavailability of aspirin in healthy human volunteers. Eur J Drug Metab Pharmacokinet 1996;21:223-6.

Rolando M, Valente C. Establishing the tolerability and performance of tamarind seed polysaccharide (TSP) in treating dry eye syndrome: results of a clinical study. BMC Ophthalmol 2007;7:5.

Khandare, A. L., Rao, G. S., and Lakshmaiah, N. Effect of tamarind ingestion on fluoride excretion in humans. Eur.J.Clin.Nutr. 2002;56(1):82-85.

Maiti, R., Jana, D., Das, U. K., and Ghosh, D. Antidiabetic effect of aqueous extract of seed of Tamarindus indica in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. J Ethnopharmacol. 2004;92(1):85-91.

Khandare, A. L., Kumar, P. U., Shanker, R. G., Venkaiah, K., and Lakshmaiah, N. Additional beneficial effect of tamarind ingestion over defluoridated water supply to adolescent boys in a fluorotic area. Nutrition 2004;20(5):433-436.

Barabino S, Rolando M, Nardi M, Bonini S, Aragona P, Traverso CE. The effect of an artificial tear combining hyaluronic acid and tamarind seeds polysaccharide in patients with moderate dry eye syndrome: a new treatment for dry eye. Eur J Ophthalmol. 2014;24(2):173-8.

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Cloutier F, Roumaud P, Ayoub-Charette S, Chowdhury S, Martin LJ. The intake of an extract from seeds of Tamarindus indica L. modulates the endocrine function of adult male mice under a high fat diet. Heliyon. 2020 Jan 28;6(1):e03310.

Homayuonfar A, Aminsharifi A, Salehi A, Sahraian A, Dehshari S, Bahrami M. A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial to assess the effect of tamarind seed in premature ejaculation. Adv Biomed Res. 2018 Apr 24;7:59.

Rao PS, Ramanjaneyulu YS, Prisk VR, Schurgers LJ. A combination of Tamarindus indica seeds and Curcuma longa rhizome extracts improves knee joint function and alleviates pain in non-arthritic adults following physical activity. Int J Med Sci. 2019 Jun 2;16(6):845-53.

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Ngwewondo A, Wang M, Manfo FPT, et al. Filaricidal properties of Lantana camara and Tamarindus indica extracts, and Lantadene A from L. camara against Onchocerca ocheng and Loa loa. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2018 Jun 13;12(6):e0006565.

Kare SK, Vinay V, Maresz K, Prisk V, Vik H. Tamarindus indica Seed Extract-Based Botanical Compositions Alleviate Knee Pain and Improve Joint Function in Mild-to-Moderate Osteoarthritis: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Study. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2022;2022:2226139.

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CONDITIONS OF USE AND IMPORTANT INFORMATION: This information is meant to supplement, not replace advice from your doctor or healthcare provider and is not meant to cover all possible uses, precautions, interactions or adverse effects. This information may not fit your specific health circumstances. Never delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice from your doctor or other qualified health care provider because of something you have read on WebMD. You should always speak with your doctor or health care professional before you start, stop, or change any prescribed part of your health care plan or treatment and to determine what course of therapy is right for you.

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