Aleurites moluccanus
Candlenut
CautionOther names: Candleberry, Indian walnut, Aleurites moluccana
A tropical Pacific tree with oil-rich seeds known as 'kukui'.
A large tropical tree with lobed leaves and small white flowers in panicles; the hard oily nuts were traditionally pressed for oil, used as candles, and strung into leis in Hawaiian culture.
- Family
- Euphorbiaceae
- Plant type
- Tropical tree
What the safety levels mean (expand legend)
- Generally recognised as safe. Often a common herb with reasonable harvest and use; still read the specific warnings on the card.
- Information. Primarily informational — details in the text and warnings below matter most.
- Caution. Needs extra care (dose, duration, sensitive groups, interactions).
- Risky. Significant risks — verify sources, contraindications and professional guidance.
- Not for home experimentation. Not suitable to experiment with at home without knowledge and certainty.
- High risk for internal use. Particular risk with internal use (e.g. alkaloids); avoid prolonged or irresponsible dosing.
- Not specified. Level not filled in yet — rely on individual warnings and links below.
Photograph on Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0).
Plant habit
Safety — read before use
For this herb it is important to check warnings, mix-ups and cautions. Start with the Safety section.
Quick overview
A practical summary; details are in the sections below.
- Safety grade
- Caution details
- Scientific sources on the card
- Yes — sources are listed with claims Science section
- When and what to harvest
- Fruit — January–December
- Processing methods
Culinary use, Herbal oil
All methods and recipes on the card- Topics and symptoms
Complexion and local blemishes, Scalp & hair, Skin
Topics section, Symptoms overview
Identification and mix-ups
Large tree in Euphorbiaceae, usually 15–25 m (to 30 m). Leaves simple, alternate, pale green, ovate to heart-shaped on mature shoots, often 3–7-lobed on saplings, to 20 cm, with rusty-cream stellate hairs giving a silvery cast. Flowers small, creamy-white, five-petalled, in terminal panicled cymes. Fruit a rounded drupe about 5–6 cm with a hard shell and 1–2 oily seeds (candlenuts).
Possible mix-ups and risks
Shelled candlenut kernels resemble macadamia and are used as a substitute, but are larger, softer and lumpier. Caution: the raw candlenut seed is toxic and purgative (GI distress, rarely bradycardia and AV block) — unlike the edible macadamia.
Similar herbs
No related herbs are linked yet.
Topics and symptoms
More topics are in the symptoms and topics overview.
- Complexion and local blemishesTraditional· Traditional / cultural framing
- Scalp & hairCosmetic· Traditional / cultural framingTraditional· Traditional / cultural framing
- SkinCosmetic· Traditional / cultural framing
Sources
Geographic occurrence
Indonesia
Common (expected wild occurrence in the region)
Harvest
- FruitJanuary–December
year-round
Region: IndonesiaNotes: Fallen ripe nuts; the kernel is roasted before use.
Storage
- Drying(Fruit)
Nuts in the shell keep dried for a year; shelled kernels turn rancid quickly because of the high oil content — within 2 months, longer in the fridge or freezer.
- Light:
- Out of light.
- Moisture:
- Moulds in damp.
- Safety:
- Label 'cooked only' — raw kernels are strongly purgative.
Processing methods on this herb card
Cooking, baking, seasoning as food — general category without therapeutic claims.
Full method description (from the catalogue)
Culinary use covers herbs as ingredients in dishes, drinks, or spice mixes. This overview does not evaluate medicinal effects — only reminds you about species intent, allergies, and heat treatment where needed (e.g. some fruits or plant parts).
Combining with alcohol, sugar, or long cooking changes outcomes; verify culinary sources.
Traditional context for this method: yes·Scientific context for this method: no
Macerating herbs in a vegetable oil (cold or with gentle heat).
Full method description (from the catalogue)
Herbal oil is made by steeping dried or fresh material in oil (e.g. olive, sunflower) over time, sometimes with gentle warming. The result is not steam-distilled essential oil — it is a different extract type and usage (often topical or culinary per recipe).
Temperature, light, and material moisture affect shelf life; rancid oil must be discarded.
Traditional context for this method: yes·Scientific context for this method: no
Kukui oil from the kernels is a Hawaiian cosmetic and lamp oil — external use on skin and hair only, not for eating; it turns rancid quickly, keep cool.
Traditional / spiritual use
Kept separate from science — entries are cultural or symbolic, not medical advice.
Kukui — the tree of light the Polynesians carried in their canoes
Symbolism
Spiritual useFolk useRitualSymbolismPolynesians brought the candlenut to Hawaii in their canoes as a 'canoe plant'. They threaded the oily kernels on a coconut leaf midrib and lit them: each burned about a quarter of an hour, so they also served to measure time. Kukui has been Hawaii's state tree since 1959, and a lei of polished kukui nuts is a symbol of enlightenment, protection and peace, given to guests and worn at ceremonies. A record of symbolism.
- Form:
- Hawaii's state tree; nuts as candles and kukui lei
- Claim strength:
- Tradition
- Source note:
- Hakim A et al. (2022), J Appl Pharm Sci 12:170–178 (ethnobotany); Hawaiian canoe-plant tradition; Hawaii Revised Statutes §5-8 (state tree, 1959).
Scientific notes
Each claim lists a study type and a source (URL or DOI) where available. Dose notes from the literature are informational only.
How to read evidence strength and study type labels
Labels summarise how the catalogue entry is tagged — they are not a medical verdict on efficacy. For every row, read the summary, limitations and source link.
Evidence strength
- Evidence level not specified
- The author did not grade the record; judge from the summary, limitations and source link.
- Narrative / orientational literature
- Descriptive or expert literature without controlled group comparison — context rather than proof of effect.
- Weak evidence
- Study or conclusion with major methodological limits; treat only as a pointer for further reading.
- Preliminary findings
- First or smaller studies — interesting direction, not the final word on efficacy or safety.
- Moderate strength of evidence
- Moderate strength by study design; sample and context limits still apply.
- Stronger evidence
- Stronger design or consistency of results within the study's stated limits.
- Review article
- A review summarises multiple sources; quality depends on review method and field.
Study type
- Narrative / expert text
- Expert text or overview without a classical study design.
- In vitro study
- Cell culture or test-tube experiment — does not show an effect in the body.
- Animal study
- Animal model — transfer to humans is not automatic.
- Observational study
- Observing groups without random treatment assignment; confounding is possible.
- Clinical trial
- Human clinical trial; sample size and control group matter.
- Randomised controlled trial
- Randomised controlled trials are among the stronger designs when well conducted.
- Review study
- A review aggregates multiple papers — quality depends on selection rules.
- Systematic review
- Systematic review with explicit search and selection methodology.
- Meta-analysis
- Statistical pooling of studies; outcome depends on input data and heterogeneity.
- Regulatory assessment / monograph (EMA, WHO…)
- Regulatory body summary for a herbal product — different context from a single RCT; often about products, not home tea.
- Expert monograph (herbal preparations)
- Structured literature summary for a plant or drug — quality depends on author and edition year.
The review summarises traditional uses of candlenut in Southeast Asia and the Pacific (kernels in cooking, oil on skin and hair, leaves and bark in folk medicine), composition (fatty acids, flavonoids, coumarins) and laboratory and animal data on anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity of the leaves; clinical trials are lacking.
Narrative / orientational literatureReview studyYear: 2022Limitations: Mostly preclinical data; a journal with weaker quality control.
Hakim A et al. — Journal of Applied Pharmaceutical Science
Ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry, and biological activity review of Aleurites moluccana
Images
The main photo is in the card header. More images will appear here when available.
Safety
What the warning types mean
The type on each warning helps group themes — it does not replace the separate severity badge.
- Internal use
- Risks from swallowing, extracts, duration of use or concentration for internal use.
- Interactions / medicines
- Possible effect on medicines or concurrent treatment — check sources and a professional.
- Raw plant parts
- Raw, unripe or poorly prepared plant parts can be dangerous.
- Toxins and regulation
- Toxic constituents or regulated compounds (e.g. in distillates).
- Contact with the plant
- Skin or mucosa irritation from contact with fresh plant or sap.
- Allergy
- Allergic reactions, often linked to family sensitisation.
- Harvesting and contamination
- Contamination, species mix-ups or harvesting from unsuitable places.
- Raw candlenut seedsHigh severityRaw plant parts
Raw, untoasted candlenut seeds are toxic and cause severe diarrhoea; roasting or cooking is essential before use.
- 'Nuez de la India' for weight loss is not candlenutHigh severityToxins and regulation
Under the name nuez de la India, 'weight-loss seeds' are sold online and along the Mexico–US border that are in fact the poisonous seeds of yellow oleander (Thevetia spp.) with cardiac glycosides — the review by González-Stuart & Rivera 2017 describes the dangers of these products, including heart-rhythm disturbances. Candlenut (kemiri) is sold as a spice in Asian shops; do not buy 'weight-loss' products under that name.