The medicinal values of cassava

Perhaps like me you don’t think much of cassava tubers. Here are some interesting facts to consider though.

Like the palm tree, cassava is fast becoming a plant whose entirety can be used for different purposes. Its roots are known to be used to make cassava flour and tapioca, its leaves are eaten in certain communities and used for medicinal purposes, and the oil from its seeds are also useful for dermatological purposes.

Cassava seed oil is known for its antimicrobial effect on skin pathogens; scientists have discovered the oil’s inhibitory effects on certain harmful microorganisms. This inhibitory growth effect helps keep pathogenic development under control, but however depends on the concentration of the oil in relation to that of the microorganism. In some parts of Nigeria, the seed oil is used for the treatment of skin rashes, inflammations and other skin infections. The unsaturation of the oil also makes it a useful ingredient in the making of hair shampoo and liquid soaps. As a result of its derma therapeutic quality it is suggested that the oil could also be used as an aroma therapeutic agent.

To get the oil, mature green capsules which contain seeds are collected, dried for four to five days after which the seeds are removed from the capsules and then ground to extract the oil with petroleum ether.

Ethnomedicinal uses of cassava include the use of the roots of the bitter kind of cassava (Manihot esculenta) to treat malaria and diarrhea, and the leaves which are used to treat hypertension, headache and pain. Cassava paste is also known amongst the Cubans to be a cure for irritable bowel syndrome, and serves as an alternative to wheat for people who suffer from celiac disease.

However overdependence on cassava as a staple food can lead to malnutrition as cassava contains about only 1-3% of protein in the roots and 30% in the leaves. It should be therefore be complemented with a protein rich food. The cyanide content in cassava when not properly processed also makes it poisonous for consumption.

The utilization of cassava for medicinal purposes is an ongoing research by researchers who continually discover the many benefits of this remarkable root crop.