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| COPAIBA |
Family: Fabaceae
Genus: Copaifera
Species: officinalis, langsdorffii
Ethnic names: Copaiba, Copal, Balsam Copaiba, Copaiva,
Jesuit's Balsam, Copaibeura-de-Minas, Mal-dos-Sete-Dias
Part
Used: Resin
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DESCRIPTION |
Properties/Actions: |
Anti-inflammatory, Antibacterial, Antimicrobial,
Astringent, Cicatrizant, Disinfectant, Diuretic, Emollient, Expectorant,
Laxative, Stimulant, Vulnerary |
Phytochemicals: |
(-)-16beta-kauran-19-carbonic-acid,
(-)-kaur-16-en-19-carbonic-acid, 7-hydroxyhardwickic-acid,
Alloaromadendrene, Alpha-bergamotene, Alpha-cubebene, Alpha-multijugenol,
Alpha-selinene, Ar-curcumene, Beta-bisabolene , Beta-cubebene,
Beta-elemene, Beta-farnesene, Beta-humulene, Beta-metacopaibic-acid,
Beta-muurolene, Beta-selinene, Calamenene, Calamesene, Carioazulene,
Caryophyllene, Caryophyllene-oxide, Coipaiferic-acid, Copaene,
Copaiferolic-acid, Copalic-acid, Cyperene, Delta-cadinene, Delta-elemene,
Enantio-agathic-acid, Eperu-8(20)-en-15,18-dioic-acid, Gamma-cadinene,
Gamma-elemene, Gamma-humulene, Hardwickic-acid, Homoparacopaibic-acid,
Illurinic-acid, Maracaibobalsam, Paracopaibic-acid,
Polyalthic-acid,Trans-alpha-bergamotene |
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The trees of Copaifera are found mainly in the South American rainforests,
particularly Brazil, Columbia, Peru and Venezuela. Copaiba trees are
considerably branched and grow up to 18 to 30 meters in height. The part of the
tree that is most used medicinally is the oleoresin that accumulates in cavities
within the tree trunk. It is harvested by tapping or drilling holes into the
wood of the trunk and collecting the resin that drips out, much like rubber
trees are tapped. Although this resin is often referred to as balsam, it is not
a true balsam. Copaiba oil is obtained by direct vacuum distillation of the
oleoresin containing large amounts of the volatile oil (60-90%).
The resin is a thick and clear liquid whose color changes from pale yellow to
golden light brown. Copaiba oil and/or resin has been used for several centuries
in Europe and Latin America in the treatment of chronic cystitis, bronchitis and
diarrhea as well as a treatment for hemorrhoids. On the Rio Solimoes in
Northwest Amazonia, Copaiba resin is used by indigenous tribes as a cicatrizant,
for skin sores and psoriasis and to treat gonorrhea. In the Peruvian Andes, the
resin is used for urinary incontinence, syphilis and catarrh. Traditional
medicine in Brazil recommends Copaiba oil today as an anti-inflammatory agent,
for dandruff treatment, all types of skin disorders and for stomach ulcers. In
Peruvian traditional medicine, Copaiba oil is used as an anti-inflammatory
agent, for stomach ulcers, and healers combine it with Andiroba oil for treating
herpes. Mark Plotkin reports that Copaiba was used in the US as a disinfectant,
diuretic, laxative and stimulant in addition to being used in cosmetics and
soaps.
In addition to is traditional uses, Copaiba is believed to have diuretic,
expectorant, disinfectant, and stimulant properties. The oil has been documented
with antibacterial activity. The oleoresin has demonstrated marked
anti-inflammatory activity in various animal experimental models which has
validated it traditional uses. Research indicates that Copaiba is non-toxic at
traditional dosages, although in very large dosages it can cause diarrhea,
vomiting and/or a measles-like rash.
Copaiba resin contains 30-90% volatile oil while the remaining is resins and
acids. Active constituents are maily attributed to the sesquiterpenes and
diterpenes (up to 50-90% of the resin may be sesquiterpenes). It has
Caryophyllene and Calamenene (sesquiterpenes) which have documented
anti-inflammatory, spasmoylic, antimicrobial and/or antibacterial properties, as
well as copaibic or paracopaibic acid, copalic, copaiferic, and copaiferolic
acids from the group of terpene-resins and acids which have also been
demonstrated as active constituents. It also contains a true and yellow resin,
made by the oxygenation of the essence exposed to the air. |
| Current Uses of Copaiba Oil Include: |
- Approved for food use (172.510) and used occasionally as a flavor
component.
- Commonly used as a fragrance component in perfumes.
- Widely used in cosmetic preparations including soaps, bubble baths,
detergents, creams, and lotions for its emollient, antibacterial and
antiinflammatory properties.
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ETHNOBOTANY: WORLDWIDE
USES |
Amazonia |
Cicatrizant, Skin Sores, Psoriasis, Gohorrhea,
Inflammation |
Brazil |
Tumor(Prostate), Cicatrizant, Dermatitis, Incontinence,
Inflammation, Syphilis, Skin Disorders, Ulcers(Stomach) |
Europe |
Cystitis, Bronchitis, Diarrhea, Hemorrhoids |
Peru |
Urinary, Syphilis, Catarrh |
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References/Footnotes: |
- Albert Lueng and Steven Foster, 1996. Encyclopedia of Common Natural
Ingredients
- Schultes, R., Raffauf, R., 1990, The Healing Forest, Dioscorides
Press
- de Feo, V. 1992. Medicinal and magical plants in the northern Peruvian
Andes. Fitoterapia 63: 417-440
- Kember Mejia and Elsa Reng, 1995. Plantas medicinales de uso popular
en la Amazonia Peruana. AECI and IIAP, Lima, Peru.
- Plotkin, Mark. 1993. Tales of a Shaman's Apprentice. Viking
Press, NY.
- Opdyke, D.L., Food Cosmet. Toxicol., 14 (Suppl.), 687 (1976).
- Marussella, J.C., and Sicurella, N.A., J. Am .Pharm. Assoc., 49, 692 (1960).
- Basile, A.C. et al, J. Ethnopharmacol., 22, 101 (1988).
- Opdyke, D.L., Food Cosmet. Toxicol., 11, 1075
(1973).
- Polhill, R.M., and Raven, R.H., Vol 2, Proceedings of the
International Legume Conference, Kew, 24-29 July 1978., Royal Botanic
Gardens, Kew, England. (1981)
- Monache, G.D., et al, Tetrahedron Lett., 8, 659
(1971).
- Ferrari, M., et al, Phytochemistry, 10, 905
(1971).
- Monache, F.D., et al, Ann. Chim. (Rome), 59, 539
(1969); through Chem. Abstr., 71,124707w (1969).
- Monache, F.D.,et al, Ann. Chim. (Rome), 60, 233
(1970); through Chem. Abstr., 73, 25690v (1970).
- Mahajan, J.R., and Ferreira, G.A., Ann. Acad. Brasil. Cienc., 43, 611 (1971) through Chem. Abstr., 77, 140339g (1972).
- Del Nunzio, M.J., Aerosol Cosmet., 7(41),
7(1985); through Chem. Abstr., 104, 56164q (1986).
The above text has been quoted from Leslie Taylors' book, Herbal Secrets of the
Rainforest
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| Clinical References |
Gastroprotective effect of Copaifera langsdorffii oleo-resin on
experimental gastric ulcer models in rats.
Paiva LA, et al.
J
Ethnopharmacol. 1998 Aug;62(1):73-8.
The effects of oleo-resin obtained from
the stem bark of Copaifera langsdorffii on ethanol, indomethacin and hypothermic
restraint-stress induced gastric lesions were studied in rats. Oral
administration of oleo-resin at doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg provided
dose-dependent significant protection against gastric damage caused by ethanol
and restraint stress, and at a dose of 400 mg/kg it also prevented the gastric
ulceration induced by indomethacin. Further, in the 4 h pylorus ligated rats,
the accumulation of gastric juice volume and the mucus secretion was
significantly enhanced by oleo-resin whereas the total acidity was inhibited.
These results highlight the gastroprotective potential of C. langsdorffii
oleo-resin and the need for a systematic study on this traditional remedy.
Anti-inflammatory activity of oleoresin from Brazilian Copaifera.
Basile AC; Sertié JA; Freitas PC; Zanini AC
J Ethnopharmacol, 22: 1,
1988 Jan, 101-9
The oleoresin from Brazilian Copaifera species yielded
copalic acid and sesquiterpenes and showed marked anti-inflammatory activity
using various experimental models in rats. The oleoresin significantly inhibited
carrageenin-induced pedal edema following oral doses from 0.70 to 2.69 ml/kg,
but was somewhat less effective than 50 mg/kg calcium phenylbutazone. Repeated
administration of the oleoresin at a dose of 1.26 ml/kg for a 6-day period
reduced granuloma formation with a response comparable to that of 20 mg/kg of
calcium phenylbutazone. This same dose of oleoresin also reduced the vascular
permeability to intracutaneous histamine. The LD50 value of the oleoresin in
rats was estimated to be 3.79 (3.21-4.47) ml/kg. |
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