The Morinda citrifolia tree is a wild plant that grows in many places in our country. However, the Morinda citrifolia tree is also used as a medicine, but not many people know about it. So what are the uses of the Morinda citrifolia tree and what diseases does the Morinda citrifolia tree cure?

1. Characteristics of the windmill

The milling tree is also known by our people with a number of other names such as the milling tree, kim hoa thao, quynh ma, ma ban thao, ma manh thao or nhi ​​huong thao, co top (Thai), phao ton (Tay)... The scientific name of the milling tree is Abutilon indicum (L.) Sweet, belonging to the cotton family (Malvaceae).

The mill plant is a small, perennial plant that often grows in clumps, 1-1.5m high, with a stem covered with soft, star-shaped hairs. The leaves of the mill plant are heart-shaped, have long petioles, serrated edges, and grow alternately.

The flowers of the mill are yellow, grow individually in the leaf axils, the stem is bent, the fruit of the tree looks like a millstone, has hairs, hence the name. The seeds of the millstone are kidney-shaped, smooth, light black.

2. What is the function of the mill?

The part used as medicine is the whole plant, usually harvested in summer and autumn, then dried in the sun or oven, and can be ground into powder for later use.

Gossypin contains flavonoids (gossypetin, gossypin, cyanidin-3-rutinoside), phenolic compounds, organic acids, amino acids, sugars. Gossypin leaves contain a lot of mucilage and asparagine.

The seeds of the plant contain raffinose 1.6% and semi-drying oil 4.21%, which are mainly glycerides of linoleic, palmitic, oleic, and stearic acids. The roots of the plant contain fatty oil, β-sitosterol, β-amyrin, and an unidentified alkaloid.

The effects of the plant according to modern research include:

• The compound gossypin in the plant has strong anti-inflammatory effects.
• The seeds of the Morinda officinalis plant have laxative and anti-inflammatory properties. They are used to treat colds, headaches, urinary retention, postpartum edema, pterygium, deafness, and dysentery.
• The leaves of the plant can be crushed and applied externally to treat boils, or combined with Chinese wormwood to treat postpartum jaundice.

According to Traditional Medicine, the plant has a sweet taste, neutral properties, and affects the heart and gallbladder meridians. The plant has the effect of clearing heat, detoxifying, expectorating, and diuretic. The leaves of the plant have a lot of mild stimulating mucus. The bark of the plant is astringent and diuretic. The seeds of the plant have aphrodisiac, laxative, and soothing effects. The decoction of the roots of the plant can reduce fever.

Taboos when using the plant to treat diseases:
People with kidney deficiency, frequent urination and clear urine, and people with diarrhea should not use the plant. Pregnant women should be careful when using the plant.

3. What diseases does the mill tree cure?

• The plant cures earache and deafness: Use 60g of the plant or 20-30g of the fruit, cook with pork and eat.
• The mill tree cures deafness: Use the mill tree roots, the southern trumpet tree, and the magnolia tree, each 60g, cook with pig's tail and eat.
• The mill tree cures dysentery or eye membranes: Use mill tree fruit and cockscomb flower, each 30g, boil and drink.
• The plant used to treat edema in women after giving birth: Use 20-30g of the plant leaves with 12-16g of motherwort, boil with 300ml of water until 150ml remains, divide into 2 doses before meals.
• The plant treats colds and headaches caused by wind heat: Use 12-16g of the plant, 6g of mint, 8g of bamboo leaves, 8g of perilla, 12g of honeysuckle, boil with 750 ml of water until 250ml remains, divide into 2 parts, drink before meals.
• The plant treats urinary retention, frequent urination, and painful urination: Use 30g of the plant, 20g of cogon root, 20g of corn silk, 20g of plantain flower, 8g of betel grass, 12g of pennywort, boil with 650ml of water until 250ml remains, divide into 2 parts, drink before meals.
• The mill tree cures earache, tinnitus, and hearing loss: Use 30g of mill fruit or 60g of the whole fresh plant, cook soup with lean pork to eat with rice.
• The plant helps treat bone and joint pain: Use 5g of dried plant leaves, 3g of sea spinach, 3g of scratchgrass root, 5g of mimosa root, 3g of passionflower leaves, 3g of piper lolot leaves, steep in water and drink instead of tea during the day, drink continuously for 1 month.
• The plant supports the treatment of hemorrhoids: Use 200g of the roots of the plant to boil concentrated water, drink about a cup, use the remaining water to steam the anus while hot, when the water is still warm, use it to wash, steam and wash 5-6 times a day.
• The plant treats hives and allergies: Use 30g of the whole plant, 100g of lean pork, simmer until cooked, eat the pork and drink the medicine. Eat continuously for 7-10 days.

The plant is a medicinal herb used as a medicine but not many people know about it. Therefore, before using this plant to treat diseases, you should consult a doctor or traditional medicine practitioner.