Virola sebifera
Encyclopedia
Virola sebifera,also known as Myristica sebifera, common names Ucuúba-do-Cerrado and red ucuuba, is a type of tree from the family Myristicaceae
, from Central America
and South America
(Costa Rica
to northern Brazil
). It is found in evergreen
forests and savannas up to about 1400 m in altitude
.
s. The fruit is reddish, oval-shaped and about 10-15 mm long and about 11 mm in diameter
. The individual Virola
trees, which include 40 to 60 species, are difficult to differentiate from one another.
(DMT), as well as 5-MeO-DMT
, and it is used by indigenous people to treat skin conditions. The ripe seeds contain fatty acid glyceride
s, especially laurodimyristin and trimyristin
. The bark contains 0.065% to 0.25% alkaloids, most of which are DMT and 5-MeO-DMT. The "juice or gum" of the bark seems to have the highest concentrations of alkaloids (up to 8%).
. The fats also become rancid quickly. They are used industrially in the production of fats, candles and soaps. This virola fat possesses properties similar to cocoa butter
and shea butter
.
The wood of Virola sebifera has a density of about 0.37 g/cm³.
in cases of fever
conditions, or cooked for driving out evil ghosts.
Myristica sebifera, (Abbreviation: Myris) is derived from the fresh, red juice from the injured bark of the tree. It is especially used for such ailments as abscess
es, phlegmon
, paronychia
, furuncle, anal fissure
s, infections of the parotid gland
, bacterially infected tonsilitis, and others.
Myristicaceae
Myristicaceae is the botanical name for a family of flowering plants. The family has been recognised by most taxonomists; it is sometimes called the "nutmeg family", after its most famous member, Nutmeg ....
, from Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
and South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
(Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
to northern Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
). It is found in evergreen
Evergreen
In botany, an evergreen plant is a plant that has leaves in all seasons. This contrasts with deciduous plants, which completely lose their foliage during the winter or dry season.There are many different kinds of evergreen plants, both trees and shrubs...
forests and savannas up to about 1400 m in altitude
Altitude
Altitude or height is defined based on the context in which it is used . As a general definition, altitude is a distance measurement, usually in the vertical or "up" direction, between a reference datum and a point or object. The reference datum also often varies according to the context...
.
Description
Virola sebifera is a tall, thin tree, which grows 5 to 30 m tall. The leaves are simple and grow up to 30 centimeters long. The small flowers are single-sexed and are found in paniclePanicle
A panicle is a compound raceme, a loose, much-branched indeterminate inflorescence with pedicellate flowers attached along the secondary branches; in other words, a branched cluster of flowers in which the branches are racemes....
s. The fruit is reddish, oval-shaped and about 10-15 mm long and about 11 mm in diameter
Diameter
In geometry, a diameter of a circle is any straight line segment that passes through the center of the circle and whose endpoints are on the circle. The diameters are the longest chords of the circle...
. The individual Virola
Virola
Virola, also known as Epená, Patricá, or Cumala, is a genus of medium-sized trees native to the South American rainforest and closely related to other Myristicaceae, such as nutmeg...
trees, which include 40 to 60 species, are difficult to differentiate from one another.
Contents und uses
The bark of the tree is rich in tannins and also the hallucinogen dimethyltryptamineDimethyltryptamine
N,N-Dimethyltryptamine is a naturally occurring psychedelic compound of the tryptamine family. DMT is found in several plants, and also in trace amounts in humans and other mammals, where it is originally derived from the essential amino acid tryptophan, and ultimately produced by the enzyme INMT...
(DMT), as well as 5-MeO-DMT
5-MeO-DMT
5-MeO-DMT is a powerful psychedelic tryptamine. It is found in a wide variety of plant and psychoactive toad species and, like its close relatives DMT and bufotenin , it has been used as an entheogen by South American shamans for thousands of years.-Chemistry:5-MeO-DMT was first synthesized in...
, and it is used by indigenous people to treat skin conditions. The ripe seeds contain fatty acid glyceride
Glyceride
Glycerides, more correctly known as acylglycerols, are esters formed from glycerol and fatty acids.Glycerol has three hydroxyl functional groups, which can be esterified with one, two, or three fatty acids to form monoglycerides, diglycerides, and triglycerides.Vegetable oils and animal fats...
s, especially laurodimyristin and trimyristin
Trimyristin
Trimyristin is an ester with the chemical formula C45H86O6. It is a saturated fat which is the triglyceride of myristic acid. Trimyristin is found naturally in many vegetable fats and oils...
. The bark contains 0.065% to 0.25% alkaloids, most of which are DMT and 5-MeO-DMT. The "juice or gum" of the bark seems to have the highest concentrations of alkaloids (up to 8%).
Industrial uses
Seeds from Virola sebifera are processed to obtain the fats, which are yellow and aromatic. They smell like nutmegNutmeg
The nutmeg tree is any of several species of trees in genus Myristica. The most important commercial species is Myristica fragrans, an evergreen tree indigenous to the Banda Islands in the Moluccas of Indonesia...
. The fats also become rancid quickly. They are used industrially in the production of fats, candles and soaps. This virola fat possesses properties similar to cocoa butter
Cocoa butter
Cocoa butter, also called theobroma oil, is a pale-yellow, pure edible vegetable fat extracted from the cocoa bean. It is used to make chocolate, biscuits, and baked goods, as well as some pharmaceuticals, ointments, and toiletries...
and shea butter
Shea butter
Shea butter is a slightly yellowish or ivory-colored fat extracted from the nut of the African shea tree . It is widely used in cosmetics as a moisturizer, salve or lotion. Shea butter is edible and may be used in food preparation...
.
The wood of Virola sebifera has a density of about 0.37 g/cm³.
Traditional medicine
The smoke of the inner bark of the tree is used by shamans of the indigenous people of VenezuelaVenezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
in cases of fever
Fever
Fever is a common medical sign characterized by an elevation of temperature above the normal range of due to an increase in the body temperature regulatory set-point. This increase in set-point triggers increased muscle tone and shivering.As a person's temperature increases, there is, in...
conditions, or cooked for driving out evil ghosts.
Myristica sebifera, (Abbreviation: Myris) is derived from the fresh, red juice from the injured bark of the tree. It is especially used for such ailments as abscess
Abscess
An abscess is a collection of pus that has accumulated in a cavity formed by the tissue in which the pus resides due to an infectious process or other foreign materials...
es, phlegmon
Phlegmon
Phlegmon is a spreading diffuse inflammatory process with formation of suppurative/purulent exudate or pus. This is the result of acute purulent inflammation which is due to bacterial infection.An example would be phlegmon of diverticulitis...
, paronychia
Paronychia
The nail disease paronychia , commonly misidentified as a synonym for whitlow or felon, is an often-tender bacterial or fungal hand infection or foot infection where the nail and skin meet at the side or the base of a finger or toenail...
, furuncle, anal fissure
Anal fissure
An anal fissure is a break or tear in the skin of the anal canal. Anal fissures may be noticed by bright red anal bleeding on the toilet paper, sometimes in the toilet. If acute they may cause severe periodic pain after defecation but with chronic fissures pain intensity is often less...
s, infections of the parotid gland
Parotid gland
The paired parotid glands are the largest of the salivary glands. They are each found wrapped around the mandibular ramus, and secrete saliva through Stensen's ducts into the oral cavity, to facilitate mastication and swallowing and to begin the digestion of starches.-Location:The parotid glands...
, bacterially infected tonsilitis, and others.
General references
- Christian Rätsch: Enzyklopädie der psychoaktiven Pflanzen. AT Verlag, 2007, 8.te Auflage, ISBN 978-3-03800-352-6
- Karl Hiller, Matthias F. Melzig, Lexikon der Arzneipflanzen und Drogen, 2 Bände, Genehmigte Sonderausgabe für den area verlag, 2006, ISBN 3-89996-682-1
- Markus Wiesenauer, Suzann Kirschner-Brouns: Homöopathie - Das große Handbuch, Gräfe & Unzer Verlag, 2007, ISBN 978-3-8338-0034-4