Fertility, love, and wisdom.
Eating peaches induces love.
Wear a peach pit to keep away evil.
Carry peach wood for longevity.
Use peach pits or dried fruit in amulets and sachets for fertility and love.
Antihalitosis.
The leaves are astringent, demulcent, diuretic, expectorant, febrifuge, laxative, parasiticide and mildly sedative.
They are used internally in the treatment of gastritis, whooping cough, coughs and bronchitis.
They also help to relieve vomiting and morning sickness during pregnancy, though the dose must be carefully monitored because of their diuretic action.
The dried and powdered leaves have sometimes been used to help heal sores and wounds.
The flowers are diuretic, sedative and vermifuge. They are used internally in the treatment of constipation and oedema.
A gum from the stems is alterative, astringent, demulcent and sedative.
The seed is antiasthmatic, antitussive, emollient, haemolytic, laxative and sedative.
It is used internally in the treatment of constipation in the elderly, coughs, asthma and menstrual disorders.
The bark is demulcent, diuretic, expectorant and sedative. It is used internally in the treatment of gastritis, whooping cough, coughs and bronchitis.
The root bark is used in the treatment of dropsy and jaundice.
The seed contains “laetrile”, a substance that has also been called vitamin B17. This has been claimed to have a positive effect in the treatment of cancer, but there does not at present seem to be much evidence to support this. The pure substance is almost harmless, but on hydrolysis it yields hydrocyanic acid, a very rapidly acting poison – it should thus be treated with caution. In small amounts this exceedingly poisonous compound stimulates respiration, improves digestion and gives a sense of well-being.
