Scientific Name(s): Quassia is a collective name for 2 plants: Picrasma excelsa and Quassia amara L. Family: Simaroubaceae.
Common Name(s): Bitter wood, Amara
species, Amargo, Surinam wood, and ruda .
Uses of Quassia
Quassia amara or Amargo employs variety of uses, and that includes as treatment for
measles, diarrhea, fever, and lice. Amargo has antibacterial, antifungal,
antifertility, anti-tumour, anti-leukaemic properties and insecticidal actions
as well. However, efficacy in clinical trials has not been proven.
History
of use
Amargo has been used for malaria
in the Amazon region. The herb has been used topically for measles and orally
or rectally for intestinal parasites, diarrhoea, and fever. The herbs have been
used as anthelmintics and insecticides. In Central America people have been
known to build boxes out of quassia wood, which acts as a natural insect
repellent, to store their clothing and protected from insects.
Both quassia species (Picrasma
excelsa and Quassia
amara) have similar constituents. These
include alkaloids (0.25%), such as canthin-6-one, 5-methoxycanthin-6-one, and
carboline alkaloids. Terpenoids in 1 or both plants include isoquassin and
mixtures of bitter principles (said to be 50 times more bitter than quinine),
including quassin, neo-quassin, and 18-hydroxyquassin. Dihydronorneoquassin and
simalikalactone D are also present. Other constituents include coumarins (Quassia amara), thiamine (Picrasma excelsa), beta-sitosterol, and
beta-sitostenone. From Q. amara, the quassinoid quassimarin has
been reported and amarid
18-oxyquaxine has been isolated. The
molecular phylogenetics of Quassia amara
have been studied using the chloroplast gene rbcL.
Pharmacology
Basically, Amargo has been used as an insecticide by natives in the
tropical region of the rainforest of the Amazon and in traditional medicine its
uses includes remedies for infestations of lice or worms, anorexia, and
dyspepsia. Certain tribes have
used the plants to treat measles and fever, and as a mouthwash.
Amargo as an herb has also demonstrated antilarval
properties and was effective at concentrations of 6 ppm. A mechanism of this larvicidal
activity may be due to its inhibiting capabilities on the cuticle development. As a tincture, has been used
successfully to treat head lice in 454 patients. Canthin-6-one possesses
antibacterial and antifungal activity.
While another compound, Quassimarin has been reported to possess antileukaemic
properties when tested in animals. Its anti-tumour activity in mice has been
demonstrated, as well as in vitro activity of quassin against human nasopharynx
carcinoma.
Furthermore, Quassin also displays antifertility effects, inhibiting
testosterone secretion in rat Leydig cells. Other
changes include reduction in testis, epididymis, and seminal vesicle weight;
reductions in sperm count, and; decreased luteinizing hormone and follicle
stimulating hormone levels. Another
constituent that Amargo contains is the beta-carboline alkaloids which exhibit
positive inotropic activity in animals.
The extracts of Amargo and its purified mixtures of
bitter principles (“quassin”) have been used to give a bitter taste to various
food products, especially alcoholic (eg, bitters, liqueurs) and non-alcoholic beverages,
such as pastries, candy, baked goods, and puddings.
Contraindications
Proper care should be taken when large amounts are
given orally since the herb Amargo have been known to irritate the mucus
membrane of the stomach and may lead to vomiting and nausea.
And excessive use may also interfere with existing
cardiac and anticoagulant medications. Because of the plant's cytotoxic and
emetic properties, its use during pregnancy should be avoided.
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