Botanical name: Tetrapleura tetraptera
Family name: Fabaceae
Local name :
Oshosho or Osakiris(Igbo)
Aidan, Ubukirihu(Yoruba)
Dawo or Taub (Hausa)
Prekese (Twi in Ghana)
The Plant is native to West Africa.
It is used as an exotic spice, medicine and as a dietary supplement.
The sweet fragrance of Aidan Fruit is highly valued as it is used to spice up rich foods.
But its greatest gift to the human race is in its medicinal properties.
1. Diabetes:
Extract of the fruits of Aidan Plant is used to treat/manage Diabetes and its complications such as Oxidative Stress and Hyperlipidemia. The leaves, roots, and bark can also be added for optimal performance.
2. Asthma:
Asthma is an inflammatory disease of the airways and the lungs.
It has been reported that people of Enugu uses Aidan fruits to treat/manage all categories of Asthma.
3. Arthritis:
Tetrapleura tetraptera aqueous extract possesses anti-inflammatory and hypoglycaemic properties which are highly effective in the prevention, management, and treatment of Arthritis.
4. Fibroid:
Aidan fruits are highly effective in the prevention, shrinking and l treatment of fibroids in women.
Women who use Aidan fruits to spice up their foods rarely develop fibroids.
Those who already have fibroids can use Tetrapleura tetraptera to shrink it.
5. Epilepsy:
Epilepsy is a neurological disorder, involving the central nervous system in which brain activities become abnormal, the most time leading to seizures and lack of awareness.
The wonder plant, Aidan fruit is used to treat/manage Epilepsy.
Many work have been done in this regard and lot of promising discoveries were made.
6. Convulsion:
Different studies have revealed that extract from Aidan fruits possesses anticonvulsant properties which are the reason for its inhibitory effects on the central nervous system.
7. Leprosy:
Leprosy is an infectious disease that affects the skin, arms, legs and some nerves. Tetrapleura tetraptera extract is used to treat leprosy in many local communities.
8. Hypertension:
Extract from the fruits, leaves, roots, and bark of Aidan plant is used to prevent and control high blood pressure.
It is effective in improving the oxidative position in a salt model of hypertension patients.
9. Immune System Booster:
Aidan fruits contain key minerals and vitamins such as Zinc, Iron, Potassium, Calcium, Magnesium etc. These essential minerals and vitamins help to optimize the body immune system.
They protect the body against viruses, regenerate blood cells, and ensure optimal performance of our bones and muscles.
10. Anti-Aging Properties:
Those who wish to continue to look young, especially women, must make Aidan fruits their friend, and use it to spice up their foods each time they are cooking. The pod contains Polyphenols, Flavonoids, Tannins and Alkaloids which are antioxidants that protect our body from free radicals and oxidative damages responsible for aging.
11. Post-partum (after delivery) Recovery:
The greatest health benefit of this plant is the quick recovery of newly delivered mothers. Aidan fruits are used to prepare soups and yam porridge for women immediately they put to bed to prevent post delivery contraction. Aidan fruit with its magical properties is the single most effective ingredient in post-delivery recovery.
12. Schistosomiasis (Snail Fever)
Aidan fruits are highly effective in the treatment of the infectious disease known as Schistosomiasis, caused by the parasite, Schistosoma.
NB
Information about the health benefits and magical properties of Aidan fruits are all over the internet. You will see many research works on the subject. Do yourself little favor by doing little research on the name, Tetrapleura tetraptera or Aidan fruits.
How To Prepare And Use Aidan Fruits:
Aidan fruit is very easy to prepare because it is a very exotic spice used in cooking in many West African communities. It is used to spice up pepper soups and yam porridges. It is also used to cook jollof rice and many other African foods. All you need to do is cut the pods into pieces, or grind it and add to your cooking.
However, for medical purposes, you are to cut few pods into pieces and boil in water for about 40 minutes. Drink half cup morning and evening for a month. In serious cases, the pods are ground and mixed with honey or palm kernel oil. Leaves, roots and bark are also cooked like the fruits and taken twice daily.
The greatest challenge is how to source fresh and healthy pods. This is because most of the pods sold by local market women are invalids. Some of them are already eaten by worms; while others are rotten and infested by ants and insects.
