Catuaba (Ceratonia Siliqua)

Catuaba(Ceratonia Siliqua)

The Amazon forest is home to countless medicinal herbs and plants and is the home of the relatively small but fast growing Catuaba tree known mainly for its aphrodisiac abilities. The tree itself produces yellow flowers and an inedible fruit but it is the bark which is harvested for its medicinal properties and made into supplements.

Catuaba or Anemopaegma mirandum comes from a tree known scientifically as Erythroxylum vacciniifolium which belongs to a larger family of trees. There is quite a bit of confusion regarding the actual tree species harvested for use and products from both the small catuaba and big catuaba trees are used for the same purpose and marketed interchangeably. The bark from the catuaba tree is sometimes referred to as trichilia catuaga.

According to research, catuaba contains tannins, alkaloids like catuabine, fatty resins and aromatic oils. It also possesses certain flavonoids, sesquiterpenes and phytosterols. Research published in 2007 discovered that catuaba bark contained epicatechins which are powerful antioxidants said to have both antibacterial and anticancer properties

It is still used primarily as an aphrodisiac in Brazil. Recently it has started to appear as an ingredient in aphrodisiac supplements in the United States.

Can protect skin cells against cytotoxic activity
Has anti-inflammatory health benefit
Has promising activity against Parkinson’s disease.
Has Antimicrobial and HIV protective activity
Has mood ,vigor and vitality enhancer properties