Tamarind, Explored, Medicinal, Perception

Abstract

This study evaluated science teachers’ perception of explored uses and potential medicinal benefits of Tamarindus indica L. in Federal University of Education Kontagora for Economic stability. Structured Questionnaire with Aver age Weighted Response (AVR) was distributed to staff of School of Secondary Education Science Programmes and Research questions and hypothesis were formulated to guide the study. The results from the findings showed that many science lecturers on the explored uses and potential medicinal benefits believed that tamarind tree can be eaten as vegetables, the fruit pulp can be used as refreshing drinks and that the leaves contain vitamin C, that it can also be used to treat inflammation, stomach pain, used in wound healing and to promote bowel movements while some science lecturers also disagreed on some of the explored uses and potential medicinal benefits such as that it does not help in weight loss, it does not regulate fluctuations in glucose and insulin levels and it cannot be used to improve semen quality and life span of sperms in men. The study recommended that based on the unique flavour and nutritional profile, tamarind can be made a promising ingredient for food production development and also further research should be conducted to validate the efficacy, safety and mechanism of action of tamarind through scientific study.