Flora Palaestina Ethnobotany

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Ceratonia siliqua L.

Family

Leguminosae (Fabaceae)

Synonym(s)

English name(s)

Carob
Locust Tree

Arabic Name(s)

kharnub (literal) خرنوب
kharub خروب

Hebrew Name(s)

kharuv matzuy

חָרוּב מָצוּי

Life Form

Tree

Habitat

Mediterranean maquis and forest

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Medicinal Complaints / Uses

Other Uses

Medicinal Complaints / Uses

Ceratonia siliqua L.

System/State	Traditional Complaint/Use	Activity / Interpretation	Traditional Preparation/ Administration	Parts Used	Source
Cardiovascular	Poor blood circulation	Vasoprotective	Decoct fruit & drink 1 cup/day.	Fruit	B
Child Health	Asthma in infants & children	Anti-asthmatic	Decoct crushed/ grated seeds in water, cool, filter & drink x3/day.	Seed	Z
Dermatological	Hair loss	Hair restorer	Cut 400 gm of fruit into small pieces, soak in 1L water for 12 hr & boil for 10 min; squeeze or pound boiled fruit, filter & apply filtrate to scalp x1/day.	Fruit	B
Dermatological	Tumors of skin & fingers. (Unclear if maligant or benign.)	Anti-tumor	Decoct leaves in water & apply decoction topically x3 /day.	Leaf	Z
Ear, Nose, Throat (ENT)	Oral cavity & throat antiseptic	Anti-septic	Decoct leaves in water, cool, filter, add vinegar & gargle after meals & before sleep.	Leaf	Z
Ear, Nose, Throat (ENT)	Soften throat	Demulcent	Macerate fruit in cold water + "sus" (Glycyrrhiza sp.) root & drink.	Fruit	Z
Ear, Nose, Throat (ENT)	Throat inflammation & tonsillitis	Anti-Infective, Demulcent	1. Crush ripe fruit (seeds removed), cook in water + sugar for hours until syrup; eat 1 tablespoon x4/day after meals. 2. Mix fruit syrup with "tahina" (sesame seed paste). ( Admin. not specified.)	Fruit	Z
Endocrine/ Metabolic	Diabetes	Hypoglycemic	1.Grind dried fruits, boil in water, filter & drink filtrate x2 teaspoons/day mornings until well. (B) 2.Grind roasted seeds to powder & drink as medicinal coffee. (Z)	Fruit, Seed	B, Z
Gastrointestinal	Abdominal swelling	Anti-hydropic	Cook fruit in water + leaves of "ghar" (Laurus nobilis) & drink.	Fruit	Z
Gastrointestinal	Constipation	Laxative	1. Mix fruit syrup + cow's milk & drink. After eat as many dried figs as possible. 2. Crush ripe fruit (seeds removed), cook in water + sugar for hours until syrup & eat 1 tablespoon x3/day.	Fruit	Z
Gastrointestinal	Diarrhea/ Dysentery	Anti-Infective, Anti-diarrheal	1.Diarrhea: Dry fruits, grind & soak in water overnight, filter syrup & drink 1 cup x2-3/day. (B) 2. Diarrhea & dysentery: Grind roasted seeds to powder & drink as medicinal coffee. (Z)	Fruits, Seed	B, Z
Gastrointestinal	Digestive tract inflammation	Anti-inflammatory, Demulcent	Decoct leaves in water & drink x3 tablespoons /day.	Leaf	Z
Gastrointestinal	Jaundice	Hepatic	Grind dried fruits, soak in water overnight, filter & drink 1 cup of the syrup/ filtrate x2-3/day.	Fruit	B
General	Fever	Anti-pyretic	Prepare fruit syrup + salt, moisten gauze pad with mixture & use as a suppository.	Fruit	Z
General	Strengthen body	Tonic	Eat fruit.	Fruit	Z
Haematology	Anaemia	Anti-anaemic	Dry fruits, grind, soak in water overnight, filter syrup & drink 1 cup x2-3/day.	Fruits	B
Infectious Diseases	Diphtheria	Anti-Infective	Mix fruit syrup + "tahina" (sesame seed paste) (Admin.not specified.)	Fruit	Z
Infectious Diseases	Measles	Anti-Infective	Use fruit syrup. (Admin. not specified.)	Fruit	Z
Kidney & Urinary Tract	Kidney stones	Anti-lithic	Add 1 spoon of fruit paste to 1 cup of water & drink 1 cup x1/day for 1 week.	Fruit	B
Kidney & Urinary Tract	Urinary retention	Deobstruent	1. Decoct fruits & drink x1 cup/day until healed. 2. Dry fruits & eat daily until healed. 3. Prepare juice of fruits, boil + sugar till thickens & drink daily until healed.	Fruit	B
Kidney & Urinary Tract	Urinary tract infection	Anti-Infective	1. Grind dried fruits, soak in water for 12 hr, boil (time not-specified) & drink x1 cup mornings for 1 week. 2. Add 1 kg of dried fruits to 3L of water, boil for 15 min, soak overnight, filter & drink 1 cup x3/day until healed.	Fruit	B
Musculoskeletal/ Joints	Mend a bone fracture; by resetting it.	Vulnerary	Cook young branches & leaves + "za'tar" (Thymbra capitata) + branches of "ghar" (Laurus nobilis) + branches of olive (Olea sp.) + "saris" (Pistacia lentiscus) + "maryameyeh" (Salvia fruticosa). After holding broken limb over steam for few minutes, the bone can be re-broken with a light tap.	Branch /twig, Leaf	Z
Opthalmic	Eye inflammation	Anti-inflammatory	Crush leaves or fruits, soak in water, boil for 4 hr & apply to eye.	Fruit	B
Oral Health	Mouth sores	Mouth wash	Boil fruit syrup until a paste is formed. This can be spread inside the mouth using any of following: 1. "shabba" (alum, see NOTES 1). 2. Sour pomegranate juice (Punica sp.) 3. NaHCO3 (sodium bicarbonate) + "nasha" (Amylum Tritici) (See NOTES 2 + butter.	Fruit	Z
Oral Health	Mouth/ gum inflammation	Anti-gum disease	Grind dried fruits, soak in water overnight, filter & rinse mouth x3 /day.	Fruit	B
Oral Health	Toothache	Analgesic	Decoct leaves in water, cool, filter, add vinegar & gargle.	Leaf	Z
Pain Relief	Chest pain	Analgesic	Grind dried fruits, boil in water, filter & drink filtrate 2 teaspoons x2/day in morning & evening until well.	Fruit	B
Respiratory	Cough	Anti-tussive	1. Macerate fruit in cold water + "sus" (Glycyrrhiza sp.) root & drink. (Z) 2. Mix fruit syrup + "tahina" (sesame seed paste). (Admin. not specified.) (Z) 3. Cook fruits for a long time to obtain jam, add + "reihan" (Myrtus) seeds + almond shells + dried figs + "nabat" sugar + brown sugar + mustard; eat 1 teaspoon x1/day mornings. (Z) 4. Boil dried fruits in water for 1hr. & drink x 2-3 cups/day until well.(B)	Fruit	Z
Respiratory system	Pertussis	Anti-Infective	Mix fruit syrup + "tahina" (sesame seed paste). (Admin. not specified.)	Fruit	Z
Wound Healing	Infection/ pus	Anti-Infective	Boil fruit syrup, cool & spread on infected area.	Fruit	Z

Other Uses

Ceratonia siliqua L.

System/State	Complaint / Use	Activity / Interpretation	Traditional Preparation/Administration	Parts Used	Source
Cosmetic	Soap substitute	Cleansing product	Dry leaves & use to lather water as soap substitute in laundry. (See NOTES.)	Leaf	Z
Culinary	Preparing syrup/ honey	Nutritive	Prepare an extract of crushed fruit in hot water; boil until most fluid evaporates leaving a concentrated viscous, sweet, brown syrup ("rubb" or "dibs-el-kharub" = carob honey) which is eaten.	Fruit	Z
Veterinary	Anthelmintic in animals	Anthelmintic, Vermifuge	Boil fruit in water & and add to animal`s drinking water	Fruit	B
Veterinary	Clean uterus in livestock	Depurative	Add fruit to animal fodder of cows, sheep, goats.	Fruit	B
Veterinary	Delay in animal giving birth	Parturient	Add fruit to animal fodder.	Fruit	B
Veterinary	Scabies in cats & dogs	Scabicide	1.Crush leaves or fruits, soak in water, boil for 4 hr & apply to affected skin of animal. 2.Add fruit to animal feed.	Fruit /Leaf	B

The authors of FLORAPALE, (Flora Palaestina Ethnobotanical) web site do not take responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of the plants described here. Always seek advice from a health professional before using a plant medicinally or for other purposes. See DISCLAIMER.

Notes

1. Z notes that Ceratonia siliqua as a soap substitute is used by the Bedouin community.
2. Both Z & B use Ceratonia siliqua against diarrhea while Z also uses it as a laxative.
3. Alum mentioned in some Z recipes usually refers to a hydrated double sulfate salt of Aluminum.
4. Z uses "nasha" an Arabic word for amylum (starch of Triticum sp.)