Description: large palm tree up to 30 meter tall, originating probably from southeast Asia but now found all over the tropical regions especially near the shore. Leaves entire when young becoming pinnated and falling on the ground when old, leaving a smooth scar on the trunk. The fruit or coconut is a fibrous drupe empty when young then filled with 0,5 to 1 liter of clear "coconut water". The husk is fibrous green then brown when ripe. The endosperm (or coconut meat or coprah) albuminous at first become white, fleshy and oily when mature.
The coconut fall on the ground, the embryo germinates and forms a spongious organ that digest slowly the endosperm.
All parts and developping stages have a special name in vernacular idioms.

Parts used: coconut , roots, terminal bud

Constituents: coconut husk (green) : tanin
coconut water : 93,5% water, 2% glucose, 4% levulose, very little mineral salts and protein
coconut meat : 40 to 50% water, 30 to 50 % lipid, 4% protein, 4% glucid, vitamin C and B
coconut root : tanin

Actions: nutritious, astringent, laxative

Main Indications: green coconut : astringent, antibacterial, wound healing (ex. coral reef cuts and abrasions)
coconut water : steril and isotonic, can be used IV in emergency, diuretic
coconut milk : laxative, nutritious
coconut oil : cooking, laxative, purgative, cosmetic (skin and hair), industrial use(soap, margarins)
coconut embryo : source of vitamin C
coconut bud (terminal bud) : source of vitamin C
coconut roots : astringent, antidiarrhea (ex ciguatera fish poisoning)
coconut charcoal : to absorb intestinal gas, flatulence

Contraindications: none

Drug: coconut oil

Parts used: rhizome

Constituents: starch(45 to 55%), coloring curcuminoids(up to 8%, main component= curcumin), essential oil (2 to 7%, curcumene, curcumenol, terpinene)

Actions: essential oil (antiseptic, antibacterial, may be insect reppellent), curcumin (anti-inflammatory, protection of the gastric mucosa, antioxydant)

Main Indications: the rhizome powder is an important spice, main component of curry powder. Curcumin and curcuminoids are nontoxic food coloring (yellow-orange). Fresh rhizome juice is insect repellent, a coloring product and may be a source of vitamin C. Curcumin and turmeric powder are known to prevent gastric inflammation and rhumatoid arthritis

Contraindications: turmeric is a traditional medicine to treat stomach problems, however a high dose or a prolonged use may irritate or upset stomach. Some people are allergic to Zingiberaceae

Drug: fresh rhizome, turmeric powder standardized or not in curcuminoids or curcumin, turmeric extract standardized or not in curcuminoids or curcumin