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Hi'iaka's Healing Herb Garden : Column Index : 2003 : Dec03
Coming Soon...
Kamani Nuts Provide a Healing Oil
Called Kamani in Hawai`i and Tamanu in the South Pacific islands of Tahiti and the Marquesas, this "Tree of a thousand virtues" is a large nut tree that is part of the Mangosteen family which has been shown to provide relief for many skin ailments. Its proper name is Calophyllum inophyllum and it occurs abundantly in coastal areas from tropical East Africa to Eastern Polynesia and is believed to have been introduced to Hawai`i by the early Polynesian voyagers. The wood is hard and fine-grained, according to Arthur Whistler in his book Polynesian Herbal Medicine and the large, oily nuts were used in the same way as Kukui nuts for lamp oil. The oil has long been used in "Tongan oil" for massaging aching joints and rheumatism, which is a practice in Samoa, Fiji, the Philippines and as far west as India.
The strong timber was used by Polynesian boat builders for canoe hulls and boat keels, and for this reason, unfortunately, much of the trees in French Polynesia (Tahiti and surrounding islands) were cut down and used up.
Another Healing Plant to Grow Commercially
If you do a web search for "Tamanu," you will find large numbers of sites that promote and sell the oil of this tree. Many claims are made, which, among others, extol the beauty of Tahitian women's complexions due to their use of this oil. But it appears to be true that Tamanu oil is pretty wonderful, and not just for beauty but for healing as well. Is it being grown here in Hawai`i? I know it grows here because I have one tree in my garden and have seen and heard of other people who have trees on their oceanfront property. But is anyone growing it commercially and getting in on the large market for this healing oil? Why don't some of you Big Island farmers get on the bandwagon with this plant, as you have with Noni, cacao and `Awa? The web site www.pacificislands.cc has information that one potential American buyer of Tamanu oil needed 1.5 tons of it a year, which is more than the present world supply can provide! This stuff appears to be a hot commodity with a fast-growing market.
The Market for Kamani Has Big Potential
You can pay as much as $25.00 for a one-ounce bottle of Tamanu oil. One web site I visited (www.puretahitinoni.com) says that the skin absorbs it incredibly well and that it has a pleasant aroma and luxurious feel. Of course this is marketing talk, but other information I gathered supports this claim. This site states that since the 1920's, Tamanu oil has been studied in Europe, Asia and the Pacific, and that it "possesses a unique capacity to promote the formation of new tissue, which speeds wound healing and the growth of healthy skin... In Pacific island folk medicine, Tamanu oil is applied liberally to cuts, scrapes, burns, insect bites, abrasions, acne and acne scars, blisters, eczema, psoriasis, etc. It is only a matter of time before Tamanu oil breaks through to more widespread use and assumes a position among other successful topical and cosmetic ingredients."
What's In It and How It Works
Tamanu oil contains several lipids, a unique antibiotic lactone and a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (like Motrin) agent called calophyllolide. It also contains antibacterial properties. Although all of the healing properties have not yet been studied or explained, its effectiveness is widely accepted because of centuries of folk usage. The puretahitinoni web site states that Tamanu oil has been "well documented for its relief of neuritis (inflammation of nerves), but the constituents responsible and their modes of activity are not yet known." It should only be used externally.
How It's Processed
Up to 200 pounds of dried Tamanu nuts are necessary to produce only 10 pounds of oil, which accounts for its high price. The nuts are unusual because when they are first picked they do not appear to be oily at all, but after drying in the sun for up to three months, the blond nut kernels "turn a deep chocolate brown color and become sticky with a rich, pleasant-smelling oil." They are then cold-pressed to make the oil that is used for so many skin healing and beauty purposes. Although the resulting dark green oil is "rich and thick, once it is applied to the skin it is readily and completely absorbed, leaving no oily residue."
A Recipe For Kamani or Kukui Nut Oil
I like to combine freshly-cut herbs in various types of oils to produce massage oil, skin healing oil, and even delicious cooking oil. If you find and purchase some Kamani or Kukui nut oil, you can enhance its healing properties even further by adding herbs to it. Here's how:
For a fabulous skin healing oil, collect some of the following fresh herbs or purchase them dried in bulk at your local natural foods store: comfrey, plantain, tea tree leaves, noni fruit or leaves, calendula, lavender, and/or St. John's wort. I believe that the "synergy" of combining different herbs into the same formula increases the healing power, so don't be afraid to mix and match.
Kamani Nuts Provide a Healing Oil
Called Kamani in Hawai`i and Tamanu in the South Pacific islands of Tahiti and the Marquesas, this "Tree of a thousand virtues" is a large nut tree that is part of the Mangosteen family which has been shown to provide relief for many skin ailments. Its proper name is Calophyllum inophyllum and it occurs abundantly in coastal areas from tropical East Africa to Eastern Polynesia and is believed to have been introduced to Hawai`i by the early Polynesian voyagers. The wood is hard and fine-grained, according to Arthur Whistler in his book Polynesian Herbal Medicine and the large, oily nuts were used in the same way as Kukui nuts for lamp oil. The oil has long been used in "Tongan oil" for massaging aching joints and rheumatism, which is a practice in Samoa, Fiji, the Philippines and as far west as India.
The strong timber was used by Polynesian boat builders for canoe hulls and boat keels, and for this reason, unfortunately, much of the trees in French Polynesia (Tahiti and surrounding islands) were cut down and used up.
Another Healing Plant to Grow Commercially
If you do a web search for "Tamanu," you will find large numbers of sites that promote and sell the oil of this tree. Many claims are made, which, among others, extol the beauty of Tahitian women's complexions due to their use of this oil. But it appears to be true that Tamanu oil is pretty wonderful, and not just for beauty but for healing as well. Is it being grown here in Hawai`i? I know it grows here because I have one tree in my garden and have seen and heard of other people who have trees on their oceanfront property. But is anyone growing it commercially and getting in on the large market for this healing oil? Why don't some of you Big Island farmers get on the bandwagon with this plant, as you have with Noni, cacao and `Awa? The web site www.pacificislands.cc has information that one potential American buyer of Tamanu oil needed 1.5 tons of it a year, which is more than the present world supply can provide! This stuff appears to be a hot commodity with a fast-growing market.
The Market for Kamani Has Big Potential
You can pay as much as $25.00 for a one-ounce bottle of Tamanu oil. One web site I visited (www.puretahitinoni.com) says that the skin absorbs it incredibly well and that it has a pleasant aroma and luxurious feel. Of course this is marketing talk, but other information I gathered supports this claim. This site states that since the 1920's, Tamanu oil has been studied in Europe, Asia and the Pacific, and that it "possesses a unique capacity to promote the formation of new tissue, which speeds wound healing and the growth of healthy skin... In Pacific island folk medicine, Tamanu oil is applied liberally to cuts, scrapes, burns, insect bites, abrasions, acne and acne scars, blisters, eczema, psoriasis, etc. It is only a matter of time before Tamanu oil breaks through to more widespread use and assumes a position among other successful topical and cosmetic ingredients."
What's In It and How It Works
Tamanu oil contains several lipids, a unique antibiotic lactone and a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (like Motrin) agent called calophyllolide. It also contains antibacterial properties. Although all of the healing properties have not yet been studied or explained, its effectiveness is widely accepted because of centuries of folk usage. The puretahitinoni web site states that Tamanu oil has been "well documented for its relief of neuritis (inflammation of nerves), but the constituents responsible and their modes of activity are not yet known." It should only be used externally.
How It's Processed
Up to 200 pounds of dried Tamanu nuts are necessary to produce only 10 pounds of oil, which accounts for its high price. The nuts are unusual because when they are first picked they do not appear to be oily at all, but after drying in the sun for up to three months, the blond nut kernels "turn a deep chocolate brown color and become sticky with a rich, pleasant-smelling oil." They are then cold-pressed to make the oil that is used for so many skin healing and beauty purposes. Although the resulting dark green oil is "rich and thick, once it is applied to the skin it is readily and completely absorbed, leaving no oily residue."
A Recipe For Kamani or Kukui Nut Oil
I like to combine freshly-cut herbs in various types of oils to produce massage oil, skin healing oil, and even delicious cooking oil. If you find and purchase some Kamani or Kukui nut oil, you can enhance its healing properties even further by adding herbs to it. Here's how:
For a fabulous skin healing oil, collect some of the following fresh herbs or purchase them dried in bulk at your local natural foods store: comfrey, plantain, tea tree leaves, noni fruit or leaves, calendula, lavender, and/or St. John's wort. I believe that the "synergy" of combining different herbs into the same formula increases the healing power, so don't be afraid to mix and match.
1. Chop or grind your herbs and place them in a clean glass jar, about 1/2 full.
2. Add your oil. The oil should cover the herbs.
3. Cover your jar and shake it up.
4. Set the jar in a sunny place for about 10 days, or cook it in a 200 degree oven for about three hours. If you use the sun method, try to remember to shake it up every day.
5. When it's done, strain it, put it in a smaller bottle and refrigerate it.
6. You can also add a few drops of essential oil such as Lavender to give your oil a more pleasant aroma and additional healing power. If you add a few drops of vitamin E oil, it serves as a natural preservative and adds to the skin healing power of your oil.
2. Add your oil. The oil should cover the herbs.
3. Cover your jar and shake it up.
4. Set the jar in a sunny place for about 10 days, or cook it in a 200 degree oven for about three hours. If you use the sun method, try to remember to shake it up every day.
5. When it's done, strain it, put it in a smaller bottle and refrigerate it.
6. You can also add a few drops of essential oil such as Lavender to give your oil a more pleasant aroma and additional healing power. If you add a few drops of vitamin E oil, it serves as a natural preservative and adds to the skin healing power of your oil.
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