The drupes (soapnuts) contain saponins which are a natural surfactant. They have been used for washing for thousands of years by native peoples in Asia as well as North Americans. Soapnuts are being considered and used for commercial use in cosmetics and detergents as well as many other products.
Soapnuts have historically been used in folk remedies as a mucolytic agent, emetic, contraceptive, treatment of excessive salivation, epilepsy, and to treat chlorosis. While they do exhibit anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties, the effectiveness of some of these folk-remedy treatments have not been subject to extensive scientific scrutiny. However, modern scientific medical research has investigated the use of soapnuts in treating migraines. |
Soapnuts, such as those of Sapindus mukorossi, are used in Ayurveda. They are a popular ingredient in Ayurvedic shampoos and cleansers. They are used in Ayurvedic medicine as a treatment for eczema, psoriasis, and for removing freckles. Soapnuts have gentle insecticidal properties and are traditionally used for removing lice from the scalp. Soap nuts are also used as the base for nontoxic laundry detergents.
Information obtained from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sapindus
Information obtained from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sapindus