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CUMARÚ
Tonka
Bean |
Family: Fabaceae
Genus: Dipteryx
Species: odorata
Common Names: Cumaru, Tonka, Tonka Bean, Amburana, Imburana
de Cheiro, Tonquin Bean
Part Used: Seeds, Bark |
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| DESCRIPTION |
Properties/Actions: |
Anticoagulant, Cardiotonic, Carminative,
Diaphoretic, Febrifuge, Narcotic, Stimulant, Stomachic |
Phytochemicals: |
3'-hydroxyretusin-8-methyl-ether, Betulin,
Coumaric-acid-beta-glucoside, Coumarin, Dipteryxin, Ferulic-acid, Lupeol,
Melilotoside, Melilotoside-1-p-coumaryl-beta-d-glucose, Methyl-linolenate,
Methyl-oleate, O-coumaric-acid, O-hydroxycoumaric-acid, Odoratin,
P-hydroxy-benzoic-acid, Retusin, Retusin-8-methyl-ether, Salicylic-acid,
Umbelliferone |
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| Quoted References |
"Tonquin
Bean
Botanical: Dipteryx odorata (WILLD.)
Family: N.O.
Leguminosae
---Synonyms---Tonka Bean. Coumarouna odorata.
---Part
Used---Seeds.
---Habitat---A forest tree native to Brazil and British
Guiana and called there 'Rumara'.
---Description---The odour of coumarin,
which distinguishes the Tonka Bean, is found in many plants, especially in
Melilotus, sweet vernal grass, and related grasses.
One pound of the beans
has yielded 108 grains of coumarin, which is the anhydride of coumaric acid.
In addition to its use in perfurmery as a fixative, coumarin is used to
flavour castor-oil and to disguise the odour of iodoform.
The fatty
substance of the beans is sold in Holland as Tonquin butter.
---Medicinal
Action and Uses---Aromatic, cardiac, tonic, narcotic. The fluid extract has
been used with advantage in whooping cough, but it paralyses the heart if used
in large doses.
---Dosage---For children of five years' old, 5 to 8
grains."
Dipteryx odorata Aubl. Fabaceae. "Charapilla del murciélago", "Shihuahuaco".
The wood is used for bridges, dormers, posts, etc. (RVM). Seeds soaked in rum
are used by the "Créoles" for snakebite, shampoos, contusions and rheumatism.
The "Wayãpi" use the bark decoction as antipyretic baths, and the "Palikur"
use it as fortifying baths for infants and small children (GMJ). Brazilians
make a cough pill by balling up the crushed seed (BDS). Elsewhere used as
anticoagulant, antidyspeptic, antitussive, cardiotonic, diaphoretic,
febrifuge, fumigant, narcotic, stimulant and stomachic DAW. The coumarin
explains its anticoagulant activity (JAD). |
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