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Tlahui-Medic. No. 7, I/1999
Dr. Mario Rojas Alba Common name: Turi Botanical characteristics and
habitat: Tree of the lower deciduous
forests of the Mexican states of Morelos, Guerrero, Michoacán, Oaxaca and
Puebla. It reaches heights of 13 to 30 feet (4 to 9 meters); its stem is thick
and woody with many branches; each leaf is divided into five light green
leaflets; leaves are winged and sessile and there are two thorns at each leaf
base. Its flowers are solitary or clustered; they are greenish cream in color
and grow directly from the stem or on the tips of the branches. Fruits are 8 to
12 inches long (20 to 30 cm) and look like greenish-yellow cucumbers. The fruit
is juicy and has a sweet flavor. Properties: Antidiabetic, hydrops, pectoral. Uses in traditional medicine: Turi has been part of the traditional medicine
pharmacopoeia of indigenous Mexican communities since ancient times. Its
Náhuatl name means "tree with corn-shaped fruit" (cuahuitl-xilot).
Its Latin scientific name comes from the military pharmacist Parmentier, who
was responsible for introducing the potato in France. This plant is used in Mexico
for kidney ailments, kidney stones, urinary tract infections, colds,
inflammation of the outer ear, cough and digestive problems. The flowers may be
infused with other plants and are used for respiratory problems accompanied by
cough. This plant is classified as cold and moist. Remedies:
Constituents: The fruit produces abundant mucilage, sugar, and gum.
Turi is also emollient and pectoral. Precautions & contraindications: There are no cases of serious human toxic reactions known due to the
traditional therapeutic use of this plant. Consult your doctor. |
