MEDICINAL PLANTS

The jaborandi is a beautiful tree in the family of the Rutaceae. Of the drugs that nature provides in this tree are one of the most prized, pilocarpine, a substance medical invaluable as we shall see. The main jaborandi used today is called the Maranon, which comes from distant Brazil. The leaves are oval or lanceolate and notched at the apex, the blade is thin, gray-green or yellowish green. The leaves have a faint odor and taste slightly bitter. The tree is native to South America, where it is collected and sent to the world.

FLOWERING

The flowering season varies greatly depending on the geographical area where you are. Mainly interested in harvesting the leaves, stems and, exceptionally, the fruit. The leaves should be harvested and dried as soon as possible thereafter stored in sealed bottles, but after a year-and even in extreme storage conditions, these lose much of its alkaloid content, having to be discarded after two years .

APPLICATIONS

Jaborandi leaves contain about 0.7-0.8% of imidazole alkaloids, the main pilocarpine, which is the pilocarpa acid lactone. Other alkaloids are: pilocarpidina, pilosina and the latter without isopilosina-therapeutic interest. We can also find a high content of essential oils, composed mainly of monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes. Jaborandi roots were used by South American Indians to combat a wide variety of diseases, was considered a universal remedy. Thus, it was used as an antidote to snake bites and other poisons, as anticatarrhal, in urinary stones and even to treat gonorrhea. Due to the intense sweating and salivation that occurred, the Indians used it to practice "therapeutic sweating. Little by little they were discovering new properties and discarding others that had been attributed up to the present era, in which exploit its properties as a cholinergic agent, ie, activates the parasympathetic nervous system. Also widely used in ophthalmology as miotic agent in cases of acute and chronic glaucoma. As we see, is a plant from which to draw much benefit, but can be dangerous if used without proper precautions.

ADMINISTRATION

Formerly used the roots, leaves, stalks, etc., But now the active ingredients used in pure, applied in different dosage forms such as drops, gels, ointments and many others always under strict medical supervision.

SUMMARY

FAMILY: Rutaceae
HABITAT: South America
FLOWERING: None
PART USED: Leaflets, stems and fruit
CASTILIAN: Pilocarpo

USES

Strong miotic, Moderate salivary hypersecretory, Moderate febrifuge.