The Date Palm and Its Uses

As for the stems and their roots, they are prepared as a macerate for use as a dewormer and antivenom for humans, but they also serve as veterinary treatment for horses, for example. The stems are also used for dental hygiene, as they are very effective for scrubbing and cleaning teeth. The bark of the desert date palm has many virtues in African pharmacopoeia, particularly for toothaches, stomach pains, and yellow fever, for instance. Then there are the fruits, which are sweet with a hint of bitterness, rich in saponins, and are valued for their laxative and hypotensive properties. They are consumed like candies in Senegal and Mali. The pulp of the fruit can also be prepared as a decoction to relieve stomach pains. It has antiparasitic properties and is also used in artisanal fishing as bait for fish.