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No evidence cashew leaves and bark treat hypotension and diabetes

Powdered cashew bark in warm water will cure hypotension, and cashew leaf tea will cure diabetes, claims  a message recently posted on Facebook in Nigeria.

Get bark of cashew, wash and grind it in powder. Mix with water, probably warm water and drink. Very very effective for hypotensive,” it reads.

Cashew leaf and bark for diabetes. Make tea infusion with leaf and bark then drink. STAY SAFE. STAY HEALTHY.”

But do these remedies really cure the two health conditions? We checked.

Hypotensive? Get medical help fast

Hypotension is when the blood pressure is too low, usually below 90/60 mmHg.

I have never come across any research on cashew bark and hypotension,” Arthur Chuemere, a professor of human physiology at the University of Port Harcourt in southern Nigeria, told Africa Check.

“It hasn’t been scientifically proven. Cashew has no effect on hypotension. I would advise people to disregard the claim. There are drugs doctors prescribe to treat hypotension,” he said.

“In fact, hypotension is more deadly than hypertension. Hypertension can be controlled with drugs but hypotension is hard to manage. I wouldn’t advise anyone who has been diagnosed with hypotension to try out claims such as this, get proper treatment from a doctor fast.” 

Some researchers have reported anti-diabetic properties in the bark of the cashew plant. 

But Chuemere warned that despite these reported properties, people with diabetes should first seek medical help rather than rely on this mixture.

“Please, simply walk into a hospital to get proper advice from a doctor. Hypotension and diabetes should never be treated lightly.”

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