Cajueiro

Anacardium occidentale

COMMON NAMES

• Cajueiro
• Cashew Nut Shells
• Jambu

Cajueiro is a tropical evergreen tree in the same plant family as the mango, poison ivy, and poison oak. Cajueiro is native to Brazil and grows in tropical regions throughout the world. Growing to a height of thirty feet (ten meters), it has large oval leaves and bears pink-striped yellow flowers on long stems. The cajueiro "fruit" is actually a thickened stem. The true fruit is just below the thickened portion of the stem, and contains red or yellow flesh surrounding the cashew nut. The nut, removed from its bark, is used principally as a food. The bark, "fruit," nuts, and resin of the tree are used medicinally.

USES

Cajueiro contains naturally occurring analogs of the latest diabetes medications pioglitazone (Actos) and rosiglitazone (Avandia), without their potential for liver damage or weight gain. Cajueiro is used in tribal medicine in South America as a contraceptive, snakebite cure, and treatment for parasites and vaginitis.

Benefits of cajueiro for specific health conditions include the following:

• Diabetes. Laboratory tests suggest that cajueiro lowers blood sugar by inhibiting the action of an enzyme known as tyrosinase. When tyrosinase is blocked, receptor sites on cells in the intestines become more sensitive to insulin. Insulin "instructs" the cells to absorb more of the amino acids leucine, phenylalanine, tyrosine, and valine. With higher concentrations of these amino acids in the body, the body suffers less protein breakdown and wasting caused by uncontrolled diabetes. This protects against kidney damage. While animal studies show cajueiro to have only a weak antidiabetic effect, the herb is useful because it carries no risk of toxic damage to cell DNA.
• Parasitic infection. In the Barna region of Brazil, 65 percent of cases of leishmaniasis, an ulcerating skin disease, are successfully treated with cajueiro. Cajueiro extracts are over 90 percent effective against the parasites that cause schistosomiasis (bilharzia).

CONSIDERATIONS

Cajueiro is available as a tincture. When using cajueiro for diabetes, patience is required. Lower blood sugars may not be observed for three to four weeks. However, blood sugar should be measured at least daily to make sure the combination of cajueiro and prescribed insulin and/or other medications does not lower sugars excessively. The oil in the nut shell can cause skin irritation if it is not heated first to render the oil less caustic. Never eat cashews raw. They are not dangerous after being roasted in the shell.

COMMENTS