Suppression
Ucuuba
Category: Medicines - plant based
Type
Voluntary
Introduction and description
Virola surinamensis, known commonly as baboonwood, Ucuuba and chalviande, is a species of flowering plant in the family Myristicaceae. It is found in Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Panama, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela. It has also been naturalized in the Caribbean. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, subtropical or tropical swamps, and heavily degraded former forest. It is threatened by habitat loss.
The tree is harvested for its wood and for its nuts which provide oil and a sort of nut butter. It is also a source of traditional medicinal remedies for intestinal worms. The Amazon Indians Waiãpi living in the West of Amapá State of Brazil, treat malaria with an inhalation of vapour obtained from leaves of Viola surinamensis.
Description
Virola surinamensis grows 25–40 m (82–131 ft) tall. The leaves are 10–22 cm (3.9–8.7 in) long and 2–5 cm (0.79–1.97 in) wide. The fruits are ellipsoidal to subglobular, measuring about 13–21 mm (0.51–0.83 in) long and 11–18 mm (0.43–0.71 in) in diameter.
more later
Related observations
Healing observations
- Antimalarial use of volatile oil from leaves of Virola surinamensis (Rol.) Warb. by Waiãpi Amazon Indians 018282
- Antinociceptive and antiinflammatory activities of grandisin extracted from Virola surinamensis 018283
- Antiulcerogenic action of ethanolic extract of the resin from Virola surinamensis Warb. (Myristicaceae) 018286
- Dr Duke's list of Plants with Schistosomicide Activity 018279
- Flavonoids and lignans from Virola surinamensis twigs and their in vitro activity against Trypanosoma cruzi 018284