The seeds of Yunnan Iron Tree Fruit, also known as Su Tie, have medicinal properties such as dampness-clearing, spleen and stomach strengthening, and phlegm-eliminating and cough-relieving effects. Although the seeds can be used medicinally, they are not edible mainly due to their toxicity!
Can Iron Tree Fruit be eaten?
After the female Iron Tree flowers bloom, they may bear fruit, but the fruit is poisonous and should not be consumed directly.
Iron Trees are dioecious, with male flowers being cylindrical and female flowers being hemispherical. Female flowers can bear fruit through pollination by male flowers. The "nuts" that residents see on Iron Trees are technically called "seeds" and can be used to cultivate seedlings directly.
However, it is important to note that Iron Tree seeds are toxic and should not be consumed directly. Ingesting a certain amount can even cause suffocation and death.
Toxicity of Iron Tree Fruit
1. Carcinogenic
Since 1962, it has been discovered that feeding rats Iron Tree Fruit containing Su Tie Glucoside can induce tumors in the liver and kidneys. Su Tie Glucoside has been synthesized as a carcinogen.
2. Neurotoxicity
Feeding Iron Tree Fruit seeds to cattle can cause paralysis and often leads to muscular atrophy and spastic paraparesis. There is also demyelination in the fasciculus gracilis and the dorsal columns of the spinal cord, as well as deposition of osmiumophilic substances.
Therefore, it is important to follow medical advice when using the effects and benefits of Iron Tree Fruit.
