It happens that the eyes deceive us: you look at the fruit and see the usual orange, only unripe and greenish, but in reality it is Maclura. You can’t eat it, but you can treat your joints with it. Write more about the fruits of Maclura I was inspired by a wonderful recipe sent by our reader. In this article, you will learn what Maclura is, why it can be confused with orange, and how it should be used correctly for medicinal purposes.
Orange, not orange!
I remember when I was a child, when my parents and I went on vacation at the sea, my grandmother asked me to bring her a gift not persimmons or dates, which were a traditional souvenir, but a mysterious Adam’s Apple. Now I know that this is just one of the many names of the fruit Maclura pomifera, but then the task seemed from the category of impossible and almost fabulous. My grandmother suffered from rheumatic joint pain, believed in the healing power of Maclura pomifera and… was not far from the truth.
Maclura pomifera is a tree in the Moraceae family. Its homeland is considered to be North America, but artificial planting is widespread in Central Asia. In height, the tree can reach 20 meters. Moraceae leaves secrete specific substances that repel insects. The fruits are 10-15-centimeter balls that look like a shriveled orange and ripen in September and October. If you cut the Moraceae fruit, its smell resembles a fresh cucumber, but it is completely edible.
The first person to discover the new tree was the Scottish naturalist William McLure, after whom it received its official name. Also, because of their resemblance to the fruit of the orange tree, Moraceae fruits are often called “false orange” or “Indian orange”. And due to the fact that the fruit can not be eaten, but they are very tempting to do so, they are also assigned the name “Adam’s Apple” (a reference to the myth of the forbidden fruit, which the first man on Earth could not resist).
What does Moraceae help with?
Official medicine is still in the process of studying the beneficial properties of Moraceae, but scientists have already noticed that its fruits contain a large amount of flavonoids, organic acids and saponins. As for traditional medicine, herbal therapists and homeopaths have long used Moraceae fruits as raw materials for the manufacture of various ointments, creams, tinctures and extracts to combat inflammatory diseases of the joints, for cosmetic purposes and for the treatment of various skin diseases.
Tincture of Moraceae
Alcohol tincture from Moraceae fruit is used to treat arthritis, osteochondrosis and gout.
500 g of fruit should be crushed (it is better to use a disposable grater for this), pour 500 ml of medical ethyl alcohol over them and leave them for 14 days in a dark, warm place, shaking them periodically. When the color of the tincture becomes a shade of ochre, it is considered ready, and it can be used as a RUB for problem joints at night.
Moraceae Extract
Moraceae extract (milky juice found inside the fruit) is good for eczema and dermatitis of a non-allergic nature.
For this purpose, it is necessary to chop the fruit into pieces of 1-2 cm, squeeze the juice out of them through cheesecloth and add medical ethyl alcohol in a ratio of 1:4. after 2 days, the “stratification” of liquids will occur. The milky juice that appears on top should be carefully separated, and the water-alcohol fraction should be filtered out. Pour into different containers with tightly closed lids — and store in the refrigerator. Milky juice is diluted with boiled water in a ratio of 1:1 and used for lotions on the affected areas of the skin 2 times a day for 10-15 minutes. A water-alcohol part is suitable for warming compresses for sciatica.
Contraindications
- Moraceae leaves and fruits are strictly forbidden to use!
- Moraceae can be a strong allergen for people with sensitive skin types.
- Milky juice can not be used in its pure form, otherwise you can get a skin burn.
- After using products with Moraceae, you need to wash your hands thoroughly, and it is better to prepare preparations from it with gloves, since they will be extremely difficult to wash off its juice.
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