Tamanu Oil


 

Tamanu OIl ( Foraha, Calophyllum inophyllum)

 


 Tamanu oil is a remarkable topical healing agent with skin healing, antineuralgic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antibiotic and antioxidant properties. Tamanu oil’s botanical name is Calophyllum tacamahaca and/or Calophyllum Inophyllum--but it's been called everything from Alexandrian Laurel to Pannay Tree to Sweet Scented Calophyllum, and in London it was once sold as Borneo Mahogany. The Tamanu tree is indigenous to tropical Southeast Asia; it is found in Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Malaysia, South India, Sri Lanka, and the Melanesian and Polynesian islands. It is grows up to three meters tall, sporting cracked, black bark and elliptical, shiny leaves. The Tamanu tree blooms twice annually with fragrant, white flowers, which later yield clusters of yellow-skinned spherical fruit. The fruit's pulp tastes similar to an apple, within which a large nut is embedded. The nut contains an odorless pale kernel, called punnai in some Pacific areas. This kernel is dried in the sun for two months until it becomes sticky with a dark, thick, rich oil; it must be protected from humidity and rain during drying. This sticky oil is cold-pressed to make a greenish yellow oil similar to olive oil.  To put this spectacular oil into perspective, and to further justify its relatively high cost, It takes 100 kilograms of Tamanu fruit, the amount that one tree produces annually, to yield just 5 kilograms of cold pressed oil!  Natives believed the Tamanu tree was a sacred gift of nature and that gods hid in its branches.  It was their answer to skin protection from hot sun, high humidity and ocean wind.

Indonesians soak the leaf in water; the resulting blue solution is applied to inflamed eyes or taken internally for heatstroke.  It is used as an astringent for hemorrhoids in Philippines. The Manus of Papua New Guinea heat leaves over a fire until they soften, then apply them to skin ulcers, boils, cuts, sores and pimples. On Dobu Island, leaves are boiled, and the resulting solution is used to wash skin rashes.
In the Philippines, the sap is mixed with sulfur to create an ointment for boils, open sores and wounds.  In the 18th century, native Jamaicans used a similar species for wounds and sores.
Fiji natives use Tamanu oil for joint pains, arthritis, bruises, oozing wounds, chapped lips and preventing diaper rash.  In most south sea islands it is utilized as an analgesic for sciatica, rheumatism and ulcers.
Pacific islanders apply Tamanu oil to scrapes, cuts, burns, insect bites and stings, acne and acne scars, psoriasis, diabetic sores, anal fissures, sunburn, dry or scaly skin, blisters, eczema, diaper rash and herpes sores--and even to reduce foot and body odor!
In Europe, sometimes called Domba oil, it has a 70 to 75 percent success rate in alleviating rheumatism and scabies.  It’s also effective on gout and ringworm. It can be applied to mucous membrane lesions.  It heals chapped skin, post-surgical wounds, skin allergies, cracked skin, bed sores, wounds, rashes, abrasions, athlete’s foot, boils, and infected nails.
Tamanu oil has even healed severe burns caused by boiling water, chemicals and X-rays.  Its anti-inflammatory properties reduce rashes, sores, swelling and abrasions.  Tamanu oil promotes new tissue formation, accelerating healing and healthy skin growth.
Tamanu oil reputedly relieves a sore throat when it is applied to the neck. It’s pain-relieving properties have also been used traditionally to relieve neuralgia, shingles and believe it or not, leprous neuritis!  In the 1920s, Sister Marie-Suzanne, a nun stationed in Fiji, topically applied Tamanu oil to leprosy victims with positive results.

Tamanu oil possesses significant antimicrobial qualities, as proven in antibacterial and antifungal tests.  It contains powerful bactericide and fungicide agents that defeat human and animal pathogens.  Tamanu can be applied directly to skin, undiluted. There are no reports of adverse effects from topical application. Tamanu oil has also compared favorably against antibiotics in alleviating these maladies:  

Benefits of Foraha/Tamanu Oil:
•Promotes new tissue formation, accelerating healing and healthy skin growth
•Wound healing and  assists the growth of healthy skin. Greatly aids wound healing of severe cuts and burns.
•Can be applied liberally to cuts, scrapes, burns, insect bites and stings and  abrasions
•Effective against acne and acne scars
•Acts as an effective germicide to kill or prevent infection
•Almost magical for scars and stretch marks
•Great germicide as it is anti-bacterial and anti fungal, relieves Athlete's foot
•Helpful with psoriasis, diabetic sores and anal fissures. Used for shingles and skin ulcers
•Relieves sunburn, dry or scaly skin, blisters and eczema
•Effective against herpes sores and shingles
•Relieves neuralgia, rheumatism and sciatica. Analgesic effects, useful with St. John’s Wort herbally infused oil for sciatica
•Effective against skin ulcers.
•Promotes healthy, clear, blemish-free skin
•Relieves a sore throat when it is applied to the neck
•Prevents diaper rash and skin eruptions on babies
•Anti-inflammatory. Anti-bacterial. Anti-fungal

It can be used undiluted on the skin or blended with other carriers, butters and essential oils. Melt it with shea butter, jojoba oil, beeswax and coconut oil for a rich and healing body butter.

Tamanu oil fades stretch marks with incredible results.  It also works miracles on scar tissue, making scars look less unsightly. BioScience Laboratories conducted a study of Tamanu oil’s ability to improve the appearance of scars.  Six subjects with obvious scars aged for one year or more participated in the test.  Subjects were not allowed to use moisturizers on their scarred areas for seven days before the test or throughout the nine-week test period.  Scars were rated for roughness, length, width and degree of difference from surrounding normal skin.  Measurements of darkness and redness were also taken for scarred and surrounding normal skin. Digital photos of scars were taken prior to initial application and at the end of week nine. Tamanu oil was applied to the scarred area twice daily for nine consecutive weeks.  There was significant improvement in appearance of scars after six weeks, and improvement continued through week nine.  Scar length was reduced by an average 0.28 centimeters, and width was reduced by an average 0.12 centimeters!  


Disclaimer: The information presented herein  is intended for educational purposes only. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, cure, treat or prevent disease. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.

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