Functions:
Break up stagnant blood
Moisten dryness
Smooth intestines

Indication:
Severe congealed blood, stagnated blood accumulated in the meridians, intestinal abscess, PMS, dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea, abdominal masses, dry stools, constipation.

The fruit is eaten raw or cooked. The fruit is often used in ice creams, pies, jams etc.

The flowers are eaten raw or cooked. The distilled flowers yield a white liquid which can be used to impart a flavour resembling the seed.

The seed is eaten raw or cooked, but seed bitterness can indicare high concentrations of toxic hydrocyanic acid.

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.

Grieve’s classic ‘A Modern Herbal’:

The fruit is wholesome and seldom disagrees if eaten ripe, though the skin is indigestible. The quantity of sugar is only small.

All Peaches have in the kernel a flavour resembling that of noyau, which depends on the presence of prussic or hydrocyanic acid. Not only the kernels, but also the young branches and flowers, after maceration in water, yield a volatile oil, which is chemically identical with that of bitter almonds, and is the cause of this flavour. Infused in white brandy, sweetened with barley sugar, Peach leaves have been said to make a fine cordial, similar to noyau, and the flowers when distilled furnish a white liquor, which communicates a flavour resembling the kernels of the fruit.

The leaves, bark, flowers and kernels have medicinal virtue. Both the leaves and bark are still employed for their curative powers. They have demulcent, sedative, diuretic and expectorant action. An infusion of 1/2 oz of the bark or 1 oz of the dried leaves to a pint of boiling water has been found almost a specific for irritation and congestion of the gastric surfaces. It is also used in whooping cough, ordinary coughs and chronic bronchitis, the dose being from a teaspoonful to a wineglassful as required.