The cashew nutshell liquid (CNSL), a byproduct of processing cashew, is mostly composed of anacardic acids.These acids have been used effectively against tooth abscesses due to their lethality to Gram-positive bacteria. They are also active against a wide range of other Gram-positive bacteria.
Many parts of the plant are used by the Patamona of Guyana medicinally. The bark is scraped and soaked overnight or boiled as an antidiarrheal, it also yields a gum used in varnish. Seeds are ground into powders used for antivenom for snake bites. The nut oil is used topically as an antifungal and for healing cracked heels.
Anacardic acid is also used in the chemical industry for the production of cardanol, which is used for resins, coatings, and frictional materials.