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ANNATTO
Family: Bixaceae
Genus: Bixa
Species: orellana
Common names: Achiote, Annatto, Achiotl, Achote, Urucu, Beni-No-Ki, Bija, Onoto, Orleanstrauch, Roucou, Roucouyer, Roucoyer, Uruku
Parts Used: Seeds, Leaves, Bark, Roots, Shoots
DESCRIPTION
Properties/Actions:
 Astringent, Nutritive, Emollient, Antibacterial, Antioxidant, Expectorant
Phytochemicals:
Bixaghanene, Bixein, Bixin, Bixol, Crocetin, Ellagic-acid, Ishwarane, Isobixin, Norbixin, Phenylalanine, Salicylic-acid, Threonine, Tomentosic-acid, Tryptophan
Traditional Remedy:
 One-half cup leaf decoction 2-3 times daily or 2-4 ml of a 4:1 tincture twice daily. 1 to 2 grams of powdered leaf in tablets or capsules twice daily can be substituted if desired. The leaf decoction is also used topically for skin and eye irritations. A cold infusion and a decoction of the seeds is sometimes used but many people can have an allergic reaction to the seed with a strong diuretic effect noticed. See Traditional Herbal Remedies Preparation Methods page if necessary for definitions.
ETHNOBOTANY: WORLDWIDE USES23
Brazil
 Excitant, Heartburn, Stomach(ache), Diuretic, Purgative
Columbia
 Aphrodisiac
Elsewhere
 Aphrodisiac, Antidote, Astringent, Cancer, Coloring, Cordial, Cosmetic, Diabetes, Dysentery, Fever, Hair-Oil, Kidney, Parasiticide, Stypic,
Haiti
 Fever, Insectrepellant, Douche
Hawaii
 Depurative, Faintingness, Stomatitis
Mexico
 Ache(Head), Antidot,e Aphrodisiac, Astringent , Burn, Diuretic, Dysentery, Epilepsy, Erysipelas, Fever, Gonorrhea, Inflammation, Malaria, Purgative, Refigerant, Repellant(Insect), Stomachic Throat, Unguent, Venereal, Tumor
Trinidad
 Dysentery, Flu, Jaundice, Oliguria, Venereal
Bixa is a profusely fruiting shrub or small tree that grows 5 to 10 meters in height and is known as Achiote in Spanish and as Annatto in Portuguese. It grows throughout South and Central America, the Caribbean, and can be found in some parts of Mexico as well. Approximately 50 seeds grow inside of prickly reddish-orange heart shaped pods at the end of the branches. The trees are literally covered by these brightly colored pods and one small Bixa tree can produce up to 600 pounds of seeds. The seeds are covered with a reddish aril which is the source of a orange-yellow dye. Traditionally, the crushed seeds are usually soaked in water and then the water evaporated to make a brightly colored paste. This paste is then added to soups, cheeses and other foods to give it a bright yellow or orange color. A great deal of this annatto seed paste is exported to North America and Europe where is becomes a food coloring for margarine, cheeses and other yellow or orange foodstuffs. Many times, this food coloring replaces the very expensive saffron in many recipes and dishes around the world. The Annatto paste is also used as a natural dye for cloth and wool, and is sometimes employed in the paint, varnish, lacquer, cosmetic and soap industries.1


Throughout the Rainforest, the Indigenous Tribes have used the annatto seeds as a body paint and as a fabric dye.2, 3 Although mostly only the seed paste or seed oil is used today, the Rainforest Tribes have used the entire plant as medicines for centuries. A tea made with the young shoots is used by the Piura tribes as an antidysenteric, an aphrodisiac, astringent, and to treat skin problems, fevers and hepatitis.4 The foliage has been used to treat skin problems, liver disease and hepatitis and also as an aphrodisiac, antidysenteric, and antipyretic and has been considered good for the digestive system.5 An infusion of the flowers is used by the Cojedes tribes as a purgative and to avoid phlegm in newborn babies.5 The seeds are believed to be expectorant, the roots, digestive2 as well as antitussive.6 Annatto has been traced back to the ancient Mayan Indians who employed it as a principal coloring agent in foods, for body paints and as a coloring for arts, crafts and murals.7 Today in Brazilian traditional medicine, Annatto is used to treat heartburn and stomach distress caused by spicy foods, and as a mild diuretic and mild purgative8 while traditional medicine in Peru recommends it as a vaginal antispetic and cicatrizant, as a wash for skin infections, and for liver and stomach disorders.9

Annatto seeds contain 40 to 45% cellulose, 3.5 to 5.5% sucrose, 0.3 to 0.9% essential oil, 3% fixed oil, 4.5 to 5.5% pigments, 13 to 16% protein, as well as alfa- and beta-carotenoids and other constituents.10, 11, 12, 13 Ethyl alcohol extracts of both the dried annatto fruit and the leaves were shown to have in vitro activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus; a water extract of the root was shown to have hypotensive activity in rats and smooth muscle relaxant activity in guinea pigs and a chloroform extract of dried seed was shown to have hypoglycemic activity in dogs.14

Annato also contains tannins, ethereal oils, saponins, mustard oil-like substances and mono- and sesquiterpenes.15 Annato oil is extracted from the seeds and is the main source of the pigments, Bixin and Norbixin, which are classified as carotenoids. Bixin is used as a colorant in foods, is believed to have UV protection capabilities and has also demonstrated antioxidant and liver protective properties.16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21

Although it's history of use as a food color is well established worldwide, current trends show that it is used increasingly in body care products. Annatto Oil is emollient and it's high carotenoid content provides antioxidant properties.22 In body care products, Annatto oil provides antioxidant benefits while adding a rich sunny color to creams, lotions and shampoos.

FOOTNOTES:

  1. Schultes, R.E., "Gifts of the Amazon Flora to the World". Arnoldia 50(2): 21-34 (1990).
  2. Schultes, R., Raffauf, R., 1990, The Healing Forest, Dioscorides Press.
  3. Acero, D. Prinipales Plantas Utiles de la Amazonia Columiana, Proyecto Radargrametrico del Amazonas, Bogata, (1979).
  4. de Feo, V. 1992. Medicinal and magical plants in the northern Peruvian Andes. Fitoterapia 63: 417-440
  5. Duke, James A., Vasquez, Rodolfo, 1994, Amazonian Ethnobotanical Dictionary, CRC Press.
  6. Branch, L.C. and da Silva, I.M.F. 1983. Folk Medicine of Alter do Chao, Para, Brazil. Acta Amazonica 13(5/6):737-797. Manaus.
  7. Heinerman, John, 1996. Heinerman's Encyclopedia of Healing Herbs & Spices. US
  8. De Almeida, E.R., 1993. Plantas Medicinais Brasileiras, Conhecimentos Populares E Cientificos. Hemus Editora Ltda. Sau Paulo, Brazil.
  9. Kember Mejia and Elsa Reng, 1995. Plantas medicinales de uso popular en la Amazonia Peruana. AECI and IIAP, Lima, Peru.
  10. Ohasi, E.Y., et al, Urucu. Uma opcao para o Estado do Para. Belem. Secretaria de Estado de Agricultura, Boletim informative No. 6. 25 pp (1982)
  11. Matos, F.J., Cienc. E Cult. 39: (7) Supl: 533. (1987).
  12. Bressani, R., el al., Arch. Latinoam. Nutr. 33: (2): 356-376, (1983).
  13. Angelucci, E., et al., Ital. Capinas, 11: 89-96 (1980).
  14. Rosita Arvigo and Michael Balick, 1993. Rainforest Remedies, One Hundred Healing Herbs of Belize. Lotus Press, Twin Lakes, WI.
  15. Lawrence, B.M. and Hogg. J.W., Phytochemistry 12: 2295 (1973).
  16. Scita, Retinoic acid and beta-carotene inhibit fibronectin synthesis and release by fibroblasts; antagonism to phorbol ester. Carcinogenesis 15: 1043-1048 (1994).
  17. Zhang, Carotenoids up-regulate connexin43 gene expression independent of their provitanin A or antioxidant properties. Cancer Res 52: 5707-12 (1992).
  18. Di Mascio, Carotenoids, tocopherols and thiols as biological singlet molecular oxygen quenchers. Biochem. Soc. Trans. 18: 1054-6 (1990).
  19. Hirose, Energized state of mitochondria as revealed by the spectral change of bound bixin. Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 152, 36-43 (1972)
  20. Inada, Spectral changes of bixin upon interaction with respiring rat liver mitochondria. Arch. Biochem. Biophys 146, 366-7 (1971)
  21. Sousa, M.P, Matos, M.E and F.J, et al., 1991. Constituintes Quimicos Ativos de Planta Medicinais Brasileiras. Laboratorio de Produtos Naturais, Fortaleza, Brasil.
  22. Campelo, C.R., Contribuicao ao Estudo das Plantas Medicinais no Estado de Alagoas III, VII Simposio de Plantas Medicinais do Brasil, p. 85m 1-3 de Setembro, Belo Horizonte-MG, (1982).
  23. Beckstrom-Sternberg, Stephen; Duke, James; Ethnobotany Database, USDA
Clinical References
  • Caceres A, et al. Antigonorrhoeal activity of plants used in Guatemala for the treatment of sexually transmitted diseases. J Ethnopharmacol, 1995 Oct
  • Minguez-Mosquera, MI, et al. Detection of bixin, lycopene, canthaxanthin, and beta-apo-8'-carotenal in products derived from red pepper. J AOAC Int, 1995 Mar-Apr
  • Terashima S, et al. Studies on aldose reductase inhibitors from natural products. IV. Constituents and aldose reductase inhibitory effect of Chrysanthemum morifolium, Bixa orellana and Ipomoea batatas. Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo), 1991 Dec
  • Morrison EY, et al. Extraction of an hyperglycaemic principle from the annatto (Bixa orellana), a medicinal plant in the West Indies. Trop Geogr Med, 1991 Jan-Apr
  • Nish WA, et al. Anaphylaxis to annatto dye: a case report. Ann Allergy, 1991 Feb
  • Morrison EY, et al. Toxicity of the hyperglycaemic-inducing extract of the annatto (Bixa orellana) in the dog. West Indian Med J, 1987 Jun
  • Morrison EY, et al. The effect of Bixa orellana (annatto) on blood sugar levels in the anaesthetized dog. West Indian Med J, 1985 Mar
  • Wurts ML, et al. [Analysis of the seed Bixa orellana, L. (annatto) and the waste generated in the extraction of its pigments] Arch Latinoam Nutr, 1983 Sep
  • Bressani R, et al. [Chemical composition, amino acid content and nutritive value of the protein of the annatto seed (Bixa orellana, L.)] Arch Latinoam Nutr, 1983 Jun
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