PETIVERIA ALLIACEA

'Petiveria alliacea' is a deeply rooted herbacious perennial shrub growing in tropical areas of Africa, South and Central America and the Caribbean. It grows up to 1 metre in height and has small greenish piccate flowers. The roots and leaves have a strong acrid, garlic-like odour which taints the milk and meat of animals that graze on it.

Contents

Common Names

Medicinal uses

Chemical Ingredients

References

External links

Common Names

It is known by a wide number of common names including: ''guinea henweed'', ''anamu'' in the Dominican Republic and Brazil (where it is also known as ''tipi''), ''apacin'' in Guatemala, ''mucura'' in Peru, and ''guine'' in many other parts of Latin America, ''feuilles ave'', ''herbe aux poules'', ''petevere a odeur ail'', and, in Trinidad, as ''mapiurite'' (pronounced ''Ma-po-wheete'') and ''gully root''^[1], and many others.

Medicinal uses

''Petiveria alliacea'' has been widely used to treat an astounding range of medical conditions both in humans and in animals including: venereal diseases, an antiseptic, arthritis, pain, cancer, womb inflammation, diuretic, decoagulant, cold, snake bite, flu, cods, hysteria, paralysis, fever, rabies, to treat arrow poison in Brazil and as a bat and insect repellent and as an abortifacient.

Chemical Ingredients

''Petiveria alliacea'' has been found to contain a large number of biologically active chemicals including benzaldehyde, benzoic acid, benzyl-2-hydroxyethyl-trisulphide, coumarin, isoarborinol, isoarborinol acetate, isoarborinol cinnamate, isothiocyanates, polyphenols, senfol, tannins, trithiolaniacine. For details on these and medicinal uses of the plant, see the "External links".

References

1. Mendes, John. 1986. ''Cote ce Cote la: Trinidad & Tobago Dictionary'', Arima, Trinidad, p. 95.


★ Johnson, Lisa. 1999. ''Anamu: Petiveria Alliacea''. 14 pages (paperback). Woodland Publishing. ISBN 1-58054-038-4 (In Spanish).

External links

★ Detailed description of plant and medicinal uses

★ More details of medicinal uses and chemical ingredients

★ Article from the Jamaica Gleaner written by a Dr. Tony Vendryes.