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In autumn, in the markets of the Crimea, the Caucasus, and Central Asia, one can often find maclura fruits – large (up to 15 cm in diameter) balls with a green wrinkled peel, which acquires an orange-green hue as it ripens. In the people, these fruits are called Adam’s apples, Chinese or Indian oranges. The pulp of Adam’s apples is yellow, with an abundance of seeds.
In fact, orange maclura, imported from Central America, belongs to the mulberry family, the closest relative is mulberry. Adam’s apples, although they have a pleasant smell (similar to cucumber) and contain many useful substances, are inedible and slightly toxic. Even picking Chinese oranges is recommended with gloves to avoid thorns and not burn the skin with milky juice. However, in folk medicine, the fruits of maklura are used very widely; for their healing power, the plant was even called the god’s tree.
Healing properties of Adam’s apple
Adam’s apples contain a high content of flavonoids – compounds that perform the functions of antioxidants in the body, which have anti-sclerotic and anti-carcinogenic effects. Flavonoids also include isoflavones: substances that strengthen the walls of blood vessels. Isoflavones in the fruits of maclura – up to 6%, and most of all osaiin – a compound that is more effective for maintaining the normal functioning of the cardiovascular system than rutin.
Maclura also contains a lot of phytosterols, which are converted in the body into vitamins A, D, E and K. Adam’s apple saponins thin sputum (promote expectoration), tone up the cardiovascular system, stimulate the work of all glands, and accelerate the absorption of nutrients. Paradox: being toxic in itself, in small doses maclura juice helps to detoxify the body, remove toxins.
Herbalists recommend Adam’s apple tincture for:
- osteochondrosis and salt deposition;
- rheumatism and sciatica (as an anesthetic);
- calluses and heel spurs;
- pain in the joints and severe bruises;
- gout and polyarthritis;
- varicose veins and other diseases of the veins;
- hypertension;
- partial paralysis after strokes;
- colds;
- eczema;
- metabolic disorders;
- decreased immunity;
- prostate adenoma;
- mastopathy;
- myoma;
- oncological diseases.
Recipe for tincture of Adam’s apple on alcohol
Only ripe fruits collected in October – early November are suitable for tincture. Before preparing the medicine, they are thoroughly washed and dried, but due to the sticky milky juice, it is very difficult to completely remove all microorganisms from the surface of the fruit.
Some pathogens die only in 96% alcohol. Therefore, pure medical alcohol for making tinctures is preferable to vodka or moonshine.
In addition, Adam’s apples are very juicy, during the time of infusion, the juice is mixed with alcohol, and by the time it is ready, the strength of the alcohol tincture decreases to 55 degrees. Air access during the infusion period worsens the quality of the drug (due to the oxidation of polyphenols), so you need to immediately calculate the amount of ingredients so that the container is filled with tincture to the very top.
Ingredients:
- maclura fruits (Adam’s apple) – 0,5 kg;
- alcohol 96% – 0,5 liters;
- vegetable or pork fat – 0,5 kg (optional).
Preparation
1. Maclura fruits are weighed, ground on a coarse grater or in a blender (if there is a lot of raw materials, you can use a meat grinder).
2. The resulting slurry is poured with alcohol in a ratio of 1:1.
3. The glass container with the mixture is stored in a cool dark place (not in the refrigerator).
Infusion timeframes:
- the best for both external and internal use is considered to be a medicine that has been infused for a year. The substance turns brown;
- if the medicine is urgently needed, then the tincture for external use can be used after two weeks, for the internal one – after 1-6 months. In such cases, it is convenient to divide the feedstock into several containers, filtering the medicine as needed.
4. The finished Adam’s apple tincture is filtered and stored in a dark, cool place; it retains its beneficial properties for 10 years.
The pressed cake cannot be thrown away: it is a very valuable medicinal raw material. Many useful substances in the composition of maclura are poorly soluble even in alcohol and remain in the pulp.
Preparation of fat-alcohol mixture
Alcohol disinfects, but burns the skin, so in some cases it is better to use a more delicate oil-alcohol mixture for compresses and ointments. To prepare it, olive oil is mixed with tincture in a 1: 1 ratio and beat a little so that the mixture does not delaminate. If there is no olive oil, corn or even sunflower oil (preferably unrefined) will do.
The oil-alcohol mixture is too thin. A thicker medicine is prepared from tincture and internal pork fat. In structure, it is very similar to human and is absorbed into the skin better than olive oil.
The internal pork fat is cut into small cubes and heated in a water bath in 2-3 steps so that it melts, but does not boil. Lard is drained, cooled to room temperature, mixed in equal proportions with maclura tincture and whipped. Cracklings can be used for culinary purposes.
Ointment from alcoholized cake
To prepare the ointment, the cake is mixed with olive oil or pork fat melted according to the previous recipe in a ratio of 1: 1. The resulting mixture is whipped in a blender.
Sometimes in the literature there are recipes for preparing an ointment in a water bath. However, the medicine from raw cake is more effective, since many useful compounds decompose during heat treatment.
External use of Adam’s apple tincture
With osteochondrosis, salt deposition, polyarthritis, arthrosis, radiculitis, rheumatism, gout, severe bruises, a compress from Maclura tincture is put in the evening. To enhance the warming effect of the compress, it is covered with a warm cloth on top.
With intervertebral, articular, inguinal hernia, the sore spots are very carefully rubbed with tincture for 5-10 minutes 3 times a day. Then the treated area is wrapped for 20 minutes.
Adam’s apple tincture for joints will be even more effective if rubbed into sore spots. People with sensitive skin are recommended to use a fat-alcohol mixture for rubbing.
Lotions from an oil-alcohol mixture or ointment are made for prostate adenoma, mastopathy and eczema. In these cases, the lotion is kept for no more than two hours. During the day, it is allowed to put 1-2 lotions.
To restore motor functions after a stroke, an ointment from cake or a fat-alcohol mixture is carefully rubbed into the patient’s skin in the evening. Even better results can be achieved if you use maclura ointment for massage on one evening, and comfrey root ointment on the other.
Some herbalists advise combining an Adam’s apple with a golden mustache. But both of these plants contain a lot of phytoflavonoids. The reaction of the body can be too violent, which is dangerous when the vessels are weakened.
An oil-alcohol mixture or ointment is rubbed daily into the affected areas with varicose veins. Warm compresses are not required in this case.
With polyps in the nose, turundas are made from a bandage, moistened with an oil-alcohol mixture, inserted into each nostril and held for no more than 2 hours.
With the help of lotions from maclura tincture or an oil-fat mixture, you can get rid of warts and wen.
With hemorrhoids, candles from a frozen ointment (on pork fat) are inserted into the anus.
After the massage with maclura tincture, wash your hands thoroughly.
Internal use of Adam’s apple tincture
Maclura tincture lowers blood pressure, strengthens the immune system, accelerates recovery from bronchopulmonary diseases. It has been noticed that taking the medicine slows down the development of metastases, and in the initial stages of the disease, it contributes to the resorption of neoplasms. Especially effective remedy for myoma and fibromyoma.
The tincture is drunk no later than half an hour before meals. For those who are starving or on a diet, it is recommended to combine the drug with the use of freshly squeezed juices from cabbage, beets or cucumbers.
You need to measure the volume of the medicine with a pipette: each drop is important, exceeding the dose is dangerous to health. The required number of drops is dissolved in a tablespoon of water.
Scheme of taking Adam’s apple tincture for benign tumors and oncological diseases:
- the first week – 3 drops in the morning;
- 2nd week – 3 drops 2 times a day;
- 3nd week – 3 drops 3 times a day;
- 4nd week – 4 drops 3 times a day;
- from the 5th to the 30th week, each dose is increased by 1 drop: in the 30th week – 30 drops 3 times a day;
- from the 31st week, they are reduced drop by drop per reception, until at the 57th week it becomes 3 drops 3 times a day.
If necessary, the course is repeated after 2 months.
With chronic fatigue syndrome, metabolic disorders, hypertension, broncho-pulmonary diseases, 3 courses in a row are carried out:
- 1st day – 3 times 1 drop;
- 2nd day – 3 times 2 drops;
- then every day the dose is increased by 1 drop per dose. 20th day – 3 times 20 drops;
- from the 21st day, the dose is reduced by 1 drop per dose. 39th day – 3 times 1 drop.
Contraindications to the internal use of Adam’s apple tincture
You can not drink tincture:
- patients with diabetes (Adam’s apple contains a lot of sugars);
- pregnant and lactating;
- with a removed gallbladder;
- during chemotherapy;
- while taking antibiotics.
Maclura tincture for alcohol, being a toxin, creates a serious burden on the liver. Therefore, while taking the medicine, you can not drink alcoholic beverages.
Attention! Self-medication can be dangerous, consult your doctor before using the tincture.