Common names | Cha de bugre, Porangaba, Café do mato 

Scientific name | Cordia salicifolia
Used part | Leaf

Known active compounds | allantoin, allantoic acid, spathulenol 

Potential benefits in cosmetics | anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory 

Product name | Cordia-ANB

 

 

Plant Story

Cordia salicifolia, commonly known as cha de bugre, is a small tree native to Brazil. It is also called café do mato (coffee of the woods) because its red fruits are similar to coffee beans and it is roasted and brewed into tea as a coffee substitute. In Brazil, cha de bugre was traditionally used as a circulation stimulant, diuretic, and heart tonic. It was also used for arthritis, cough, fever, kidney stones, rheumatism, and wounds. It is sold as a weight-loss aid in Brazil as it is a good appetite suppressant.

 

Although it is a popular natural product in Brazil, very little has been studied on its phytochemicals and bioactivities. Its main compounds include allantoin and allantoic acid, which may explain its traditional use on wounds. A phytochemical study showed the leaf extracted with dichloromethane is characterized by a high content of spathulenol, a compound that shows high anti-oxidant activities by scavenging free radicals and shows anti-inflammatory activities by inhibition of mouse paw oedema.