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Botanical illustration of Kakadu Plum
MedicinalSourced entry

Kakadu Plum

Terminalia ferdinandiana

A small northern Australian fruit, the richest known source of vitamin C. Aboriginal Australians use it as food and as a remedy for colds, flu and headaches.

Safety at a glance

  • PregnancyNothing recorded
  • BreastfeedingNothing recorded
  • MedicinesNothing recorded
  • Who should avoid itNothing recorded
  • AllergiesNothing recorded
  • Toxicity1 note →

Tap a box to read the safety notes below. “Nothing recorded” means our sources don't cover it, not that it's safe.

What is Kakadu Plum?

Plant family
Combretaceae, the combretum family
Parts used
The fruit
Where it grows
Northern Australia
Genus
Terminalia
Species
ferdinandiana

Traditionally used for

  • Food
  • Colds and flu (traditional)
  • Antiseptic (traditional)

Traditionally described as

  • Very rich in vitamin C

Health topics

Where Kakadu Plum appears in symptom search, and why. Being listed doesn't mean it's a proven treatment.

Natural compounds

Vitamin C

Safety

Toxicity testing

  • Food safety studies are lacking. In lab tests on human gut and liver cells, extracts harmed cells only at very high concentrations.[1]Study

What does the research say?

Traditional use

These are traditional uses, not proven treatments.

  • Aboriginal Australians have eaten Kakadu plum and used it as medicine for centuries. In Western Australia the fresh or dried fruit is made into refreshing drinks, and the fruit is traditionally used as an antiseptic, a soothing balm, and for colds, flu and headaches.[2]Study

Laboratory & animal research

Lab and animal results show what might be worth studying in people. They don't show that the herb has these effects in humans.

  • Kakadu plum is the richest known source of vitamin C, about 7,000 mg per 100 g of fruit.[3]Study

  • The fruit has been reported to have over 900 times more vitamin C per gram than blueberries, and is also high in other antioxidants.[4]Study

  • In lab tests, fruit and leaf extracts killed food-poisoning bacteria including Listeria and drug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).[5]Study

In short

Food safety studies are lacking.

Sources

  1. [1] Impact of polyphenol-rich extracts of Terminalia ferdinandiana fruits and seeds on viability of human intestinal and liver cells in vitro · DOI: 10.1016/j.fochms.2021.100024Peer-reviewed study
  2. [2] Chemical and Nutritional Composition of Terminalia ferdinandiana (Kakadu Plum) Kernels: A Novel Nutrition Source · DOI: 10.3390/foods7040060Peer-reviewed study
  3. [3] Integrating Australian Native Foods for a More Sustainable Food System: A Qualitative Co-Design Study with Aboriginal Communities · DOI: 10.3390/ijerph22040646Peer-reviewed study
  4. [4] The chemotherapeutic potential of Terminalia ferdinandiana: Phytochemistry and bioactivity · DOI: 10.4103/0973-7847.95855Peer-reviewed study
  5. [5] Antioxidant Rich Extracts of Terminalia ferdinandiana Inhibit the Growth of Foodborne Bacteria · DOI: 10.3390/foods8080281Peer-reviewed study

This information is educational and traditional in nature, and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Unfamiliar word? See what these words mean.