While not as well known as an orange or an apple, the fruit of a tamarind tree may find an explosion in popularity. Scientists are encouraged by results of clinical trials using eye drops made from tamarind fruit to relieve Dry Eye syndrome.
The new eye drops offer a combination of two active ingredients. Hyaluronic acid restores and maintains hydration to the eyes by reducing fluid loss. Polysaccharide (TSP) which is derived from the tamarind seed helps repair the tear film in the eye. The tear film is the watery surface layer of the eye. This helps to keep the eye from drying out.
The clinical trials noted in the unpublished study showed that these combination drops improved symptoms 56 percent more than conventional treatments. This is due to the fact the combination drops? stay on the surface of the eyes for a longer period of time.
Dry Eye syndrome is extremely common with 1 in 3 people suffering from it at some point in their lives. Office workers tend to be a population which deals with it more frequently because of large amounts of time spent in front of a computer.
Elise Ervin
Staff Writer