Pimenta racemosa var. ozua

Scientific name: Pimenta racemosa var. ozua (Urb. & Ekman)

Synonym: Pimenta ozua (Urb. & Ekman) Burret

Botanical family: MYRTACEAE

Vernacular names

(In territories with significant traditional TRAMIL use)

Haiti:

fey esans jirof

Geographical distribution

Endemic to Hispaniola.

Botanical description

Tree of up to 20 m, very aromatic. Leaves elliptic-oblong to oblong from 6 to 12 cm, obtuse at the apex, rounded to acute at the base, coriaceous. Cymose inflorescences, 3 flowers or 2 times trichomes, up to 9 flowers. Globose, glabrous, glandular berries.

Voucher(s)

Zanoni,45201,JBSD

abdominal pain

leaf, decoction with salt, orally¹

The leaves and fruit of Pimenta racemosa var. ozua are a condiment and appetiser tonic for human consumption and the essential oil of the leaves is a relatively widespread disinfectant.

Due to the fact that it is an endemic and scarce species, we recommend moderate harvest of the leaves and promote its cultivation to avoid the destruction of the plant in its wild state.

For abdominal pain:
prepare a decoction with 20 grams of leaves in 4 cups (1 litre) of water, boil for 10 minutes in a covered vessel. Leave to cool, strain (filter) and drink 1 cup 3 times a day.

Preparations must never be stored for more than 24 hours, even if refrigerated.

According to the information available:

The use for abdominal pain is classified as REC based on the significant traditional use documented in the TRAMIL surveys, the toxicity and validation studies, and the scientific information published.

If deterioration is observed in the patient or if the abdominal pain persists for more than 3 days, seek medical attention.

Not for use during pregnancy, breastfeeding or in children under
8 years of age.

TRAMIL Work⁵
The LD₅₀ of the aqueous extract from dried leaves, orally in mice, was estimated at 1.1 g/kg; intestinal dilatation and haemorrhagic fluid were observed in the abdominal cavity.

The same extract, subcutaneously, up to 4 g/kg did not cause death or gastrointestinal alteration.

TRAMIL Work⁷
The aqueous leaf extract, orally (125, 250, 500 and 1000 mg dry residue/kg = 0.8, 1.61, 3.23 and 6.46 g leaf/kg respectively) in male Wistar rats, lots of 6 animals, did not produce death in any of the animals. The highest dose caused sweating and signs of instability.

The 250 mg dose of dry residue/kg administered for 8 consecutive days (1.61 g of leaf/kg/day) with 6 subsequent days of observation, did not show evident signs of toxicity; the weight of the animals at the end of the experience did not suffer any
alteration.

The LD₅₀ of the aqueous extract (decoction) from dried leaves, intraperitoneally in mice, was 0.287 g of total solids/kg. A slight drowsiness and decreased mobility was observed with all the doses administered⁶.

There is no information available documenting the safety of medicinal use in children, during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

The leaves contain lupeol².

The essential oil of the leaf contains monoterpenes: carvone, 1,8-cineol, citronellol, p-cymen-8-ol, p-cymene, geranial, limonene, linalool, cis-linalool oxide, myrcene, neral, trans-ocimene, α-phellandrene, cis- and trans-pinene hydrate, α- and β-pinene, cis and trans-piperitol, cis- and trans-rose oxide, sabinene, cis-and trans-sabinene hydrate, terpinen-4-ol, α- and γ-terpinene,α-terpineol, terpinolene, α-thujene; caryophyllene oxide sesquiterpenes, β-caryophyllene; alkanes: decan-3-one, nonan-1-al, nonan-1-ol, 9-hydroxy-nonan-2-one, octan-3-one; phenylpropanoids: methyl ether eugenol, iso-trans-eugenol methyl ether³.

TRAMIL Work⁴
The aqueous leaf extract (decoction, 0.5 mg dried plant/ml organ bath solution), in isolated rat ileum, increased the amplitude and tone of the contractions; at 37 mg/ml and above, the amplitude, tone and frequency of the contractions decreased
significantly.

TRAMIL Work⁵
The aqueous extract from dried leaves (20, 40, 80 and 160 mg/kg), orally administered to Shay rats 48 hours after gastric ulcers were induced by pyloric ligation and analysed 18 hours after administration of the extract, showed gastric
dilatation, damage to the gastric mucosa, extensive ulcerations and haemorrhagic perforations. The severity of the injuries was higher with the doses of 40 and 160 mg/kg.

The aqueous extract (decoction) from dried leaves (125 and 250 mg/kg), orally in mice, model of contortions induced by intraperitoneal acetic acid and pain by formalin, reduced pain significantly and dose-dependently, but in the hot plate model it had no analgesic effect⁶.

Pharmacopoeia

Ed.3

References

1 WENIGER B, ROUZIER M, 1986
Enquête TRAMIL. Service Oecuménique d’Entraide SOE, Port au Prince, Haïti.
2 FERNANDEZ A, ALVAREZ A, GARCIA MD, SAENZ MT, 2001
Anti-inflammatory effect of Pimenta racemosa var. ozua and isolation of the triterpene lupeol. Farmaco 56(4):335-338.
3 TUCKER A, MARICARELLO M, ADAMS R, LANDRUM L, ZANONI T, 1991
Volatile leaf oils of Caribbean Myrtaceae. I. Three varieties of Pimenta racemosa
(Miller) J. Moore of the Dominican Republic and the commercial bay oil. J Essent Oil Res 3(5):323-329.
4 HERRERA J, 1988
Determinación de actividades biológicas de vegetales utilizados en medicina
tradicional. Informe TRAMIL. Dep. de Farmacología, Facultad de Salud, Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia.
5 CAMBAR P. FLORES E. CANALES M. 1996
Efectos toxicológicos, gástricos, respiratorios y cardiovasculares del extracto acuoso de hojas de Pimenta racemosa ozua, Myrtaceae, en animales de experimentación. Informe TRAMIL. Unidad de Farmacología, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras UNAH, Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
6 GARCIA MD, FERNANDEZ MA, ALVAREZ A, SAENZ MT, 2004
Antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effect of the aqueous extract from leaves of
Pimenta racemosa var. ozua (Myrtaceae). J Ethnopharm 91(1):69-73.
7 GARCIA MD, SAENZ MT, 2004
Toxicidad aguda y sub-crónica de la hoja de Pimenta racemosa var. ozua. Informe
TRAMIL. Farmacognosia, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla,
España.

Disclaimer

The information provided is for educational purposes only for the benefit of the general public and health professionals. It is not intended to take the place of either the written law or regulations. Since some parts of plants could be toxic, might induce side effects, or might have interactions with certain drugs, anyone intending to use them or their products must first consult with a physician or another qualified health care professional. TRAMIL has no responsibility whatsoever towards the user for any decision, action or omission made in relation to the information contained in this Pharmacopoeia.

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