Virola sebifera

Taxobox
name = "Virola sebifera"


image_caption =
image_width =
regnum = Plantae
divisio =
classis = Magnoliopsida
ordo = Magnoliales
familia = Myristicaceae
genus = "Virola"
species = "V. sebifera"
binomial = "Virola sebifera"
binomial_authority = Aubl.
synonyms =
*"Myristica mocoa"
*"Myrica ocuba"
*"Myristica panamensis"
*"Myristica sebifera" (Aubl.) Sw. [http://www.henriettesherbal.com/plants/virola-sebifera Virola sebifera | Henriette's Herbal Homepage ] ]
*"Virola mocoa"
*"Virola panamensis"
*"Virola boliviensis"
*"Virola uenezuelensis"
*"Virola mycetis"
*"Virola warburgii"

"Virola sebifera", common names Ucuúba-do-Cerrado [http://www.lapa.ufscar.br/portugues/fragmentos.htm Estudos de áreas naturais fragmentadas ] ] and red ucuuba, [http://www.henriettesherbal.com/php/get.php?id=14475 Henriette's plant info: Virola sebifera Aubl., Myristicaceae ] ] is a type of tree from the family Myristicaceae, from Central America and South AmericaMarkus Wiesenauer, Suzann Kirschner-Brouns: Homöopathie - Das große Handbuch, Gräfe & Unzer Verlag, 2007, ISBN 978-3-8338-0034-4] (Costa Rica to northern Brazil).cite web
url=http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.plantes-botanique.be%2Fe2-Myristicaceae-Virola-venosa&langpair=fr%7Cen&hl=en&ie=ISO-8859-1
title=Translated version of http://www.plantes-botanique.be/e2-Myristicaceae-Virola-venosa
publisher=translate.google.com
accessdate=2008-04-30
last=
first=] It is found in evergreen forests and savannas up to about 1400 m in altitude.

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 panicles. 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.Christian Rätsch: "Enzyklopädie der psychoaktiven Pflanzen". AT Verlag, 2007, 8. Auflage, ISBN 978-3-03800-352-6]

Contents und uses

The bark of the tree is rich in tanninsMarkus Wiesenauer, Suzann Kirschner-Brouns: Homöopathie - Das große Handbuch, Gräfe & Unzer Verlag, 2007, ISBN 978-3-8338-0034-4] and also the hallucinogen [http://www.catbull.com/alamut/Lexikon/Pflanzen/Virola%20sebifera.htm Andreas Kelich: Halluzinogene Rauschdrogen: Botanischer Teil: Virola spp.: V. sebifera ] ] dimethyltryptamine (DMT), as well as 5-MeO-DMT, and it is used by indigenous people to treat skin conditions. The ripe seeds contain fatty acid glycerides, especially laurodimyristin and trimyristin. Karl Hiller, Matthias F. Melzig, "Lexikon der Arzneipflanzen und Drogen", 2 Bände, Genehmigte Sonderausgabe für den area verlag, 2006, ISBN 3-89996-682-1] The bark contains 0.065% to 0.25% alkaloids, most of which are DMT and 5-MeO-DMT. [http://www.emea.europa.eu/pdfs/vet/mrls/060499en.pdf COMMITTEE FOR VETERINARY MEDICINAL PRODUCTS VIROLA SEBIFERA SUMMARY REPORT] ] The "juice or gum" of the bark seems to have the highest concentrations of alkaloids (up to 8%).

Uses

Industrial uses

Seeds from "Virola sebifera" are processed to obtain the fats, which are yellow and aromatic. They smell like nutmeg.Meyers Online|15|499|kapiteltext=Talg, vegetabilischer|spezialkapitel=Talg,%20vegetabilischer] 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 butterKarl Hiller, Matthias F. Melzig, "Lexikon der Arzneipflanzen und Drogen", 2 Bände, Genehmigte Sonderausgabe für den area verlag, 2006, ISBN 3-89996-682-1] and shea butter.

The wood of "Virola sebifera" has a density of about 0.37 g/cm³. [cite web
url=http://inverhutchinson.com/Maderas01.htm
title=PUERTAS
publisher=inverhutchinson.com
accessdate=2008-04-30
last=
first=]

Traditional medicine

The smoke of the inner bark of the tree is used by shamans of the indigenous people of Venezuela in cases of fever conditions, or cooked for driving out evil ghosts.Christian Rätsch: "Enzyklopädie der psychoaktiven Pflanzen". AT Verlag, 2007, 8.te Auflage, ISBN 978-3-03800-352-6]

"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 abscesses, phlegmon, paronychia, furuncle, anal fissures, infections of the parotid gland, bacterially infected tonsilitis, and others.Markus Wiesenauer, Suzann Kirschner-Brouns: Homöopathie - Das große Handbuch, Gräfe & Unzer Verlag, 2007, ISBN 978-3-8338-0034-4] Homöopathisches Repetorium, Deutsche Homöopathie Union (DHU)] Mohinder Singh Jus, "Praktische Materia Medica. Arzneimittellehre von A-Z", Homöosana, 2004, ISBN 3-906407-05-5]

See also

*Psychedelic plants

References

Notes

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

External links

* [http://sloth.ots.ac.cr/local/florula2/list_images.php?key_species_code=LS001444 Virola sebifera - Photo Gallery]
* [http://ctfs.si.edu/webatlas/findinfo.php?specid=8731&leng=english Photos of "Virola sebifera"]
* [http://www.kew.org/scihort/tropamerica/cristalino/Virola_sebifera.htm Three photos of Talgmuskatnußbaum]
* [http://www.catbull.com/alamut/Lexikon/Pflanzen/Virola%20sebifera.htm Virola sebifera Aublet]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/3375447.stm Climate Change and the effects on "Virola sebifera"]