Chuchuhuasi

 GENERAL

Chuchuhuasi (Maytenus macrocarpa) is a tree that can reach a height of over 30 meters, has large leaves and small white flowers, and is known for its red-brown, extremely hard bark (see Ozturk et al. 2019: 121). Chuchuhuasi belongs to the staff tree family (Celastraceae), with Kath (Catha edulis) being a very well-known representative of this very family. Chuchuhuasi is mainly found in the Amazon region of Peru, Ecuador and Colombia. There Chuchuhuasi is used among others by the Pastazas, Ticunas, Boras, Huitotos, Perbas, Yahunas, Cocamas, Aguarunas and Jivaros.

The powdered bark is preserved in alcohol, usually in aguardiente (sugar cane liqueur) and used as a tonic, aphrodisiac and for the treatment of rheumatic pains. Superficially, it is also applied against skin cancer (see Gonzalez et al. 1982: 73). The Shipibo-Conibo also used it against anemia, pain and rheumatism, while it is also considered revitalizing and antibiotic (see Tudela-Talavera et al. 2016: 533).

CHUCHUHUASI IN FOLK MEDICINE

The name Chuchuhuasi originally comes from the Quechua language and means something like "trembling back". Chuchuhuasi is used by various ethnic groups against rheumatic pain and is also considered a stimulant. According to Rätsch and Müller-Ebeling, in the Pucallpa area of Peru, the bark of Maytenus ebenifolia is not only used as a stimulant, but is also an ingredient in ayahuasca (see Rätsch & Müller-Ebeling 2013: 166).

In the literature there is no clear delimitation of Maytenus macrocarpa and certain other Maytenus species. Thus, Maytenus krukovii, Maytenus ebenifolia, Maytenus laevis, Maytenus multiflora, Maytenus terapotensis, Celastrus macrocarpa, Haenkea macrocarpa, and Heankea multiflora, among others, are treated as synonyms of Maytenus macrocarpa (see Taylor 2005: 230ff). However, this does not seem to apply to all sources, but in more recent sources Chuchuhuasi is predominantly referred to as Maytenus macrocarpa.

To make the confusion perfect, it should be mentioned that there are also several plants that may be referred to as Chuchuhuasi and are used in folk medicine.

In addition to Cheilochinium cognatum and, Erythroxylum catuaba is also sometimes called Chuchuhuasi or Chuchuhuasha, which are found in the Amazon region of Peru, among other places. Among the Shipibo-Conibo, Heisteria pallida is known as chocha huasha. The bark of the tree is macerated by the Shipibo-Conibo in sugar cane liquor and finally sweetened with honey. The water and also ethanol extracts are used to treat rheumatic pains, colds and abdominal and uterine complaints. Furthermore, chocha huasha is also used for fever, diarrhea, and as a tonic and restorative (see Rätsch & Müller-Ebeling 2013: 166). Neither Cheilochinium cognatum nor Erythroxylum catuaba nor Heisteria pallida will be discussed further in this blog post, the focus of this post is on Maytenus macrocarpa, a plant that also bears the name chuchuhuasi.

CATHINONE IN THE GENUS MAYTENUS?

Some sources state that Maytenus krukovii (a synonym of Maytenus macrocarpa) contains the stimulant alkaloid cathinone, as does cath (Catha edulis) (see Gerlach et al. 2016: 291; Tretter 2017: 204; Baxter et al. 1999: 323; Polya 2003: 187) [1]. There are no phytochemical analyses of Maytenus krukovii/Maytenus macrocarpa to support this claim, nor could the origin of this claim be found.

Catha edulis appears to be the only species of the staff tree family (Celastraceae) cultivated for its stimulant properties. In this context, the young, fresh shoots, which contain cathine and cathinone, among others, are usually chewed for their stimulant effects. In a study, 2 Maytenus species and in particular species of the genera Allocassine, Cassine, Lauridia and Maurocenia from the staff tree family were investigated for a possible cathinone and cathine content, as these are considered sister groups of Catha edulis. In this regard, Cassine schinoides and Gymnosporia cassinoides are of particular interest, as the leaves of these plants, similar to khat, are chewed to relieve fatigue, hunger, and thirst. A total of 44 species from the staff tree family were studied, and no cathinone or cathine was detected in any of the species studied, except in Catha edulis (see Tembrock et al. 2017: 1f). Cassine schinoides appeared to have a particularly high content of terpenes, including friedelanone triterpenes, which are also found in the bark of Chuchuhuasi. It is thought possible that the friedelanone triterpenes could be responsible for the stimulant effect, but little is known to date about the effects of these triterpenes. Whether these triterpenes could have a stimulatory effect is unknown (see Tembrock et al. 2017: 9).

It seems quite doubtful that Maytenus krukovii or Maytenus macrocarpa contains cathine or cathinone. To date, there do not appear to be any phytochemical studies of Maytenus krukovii or Maytenus macrocarpa specifically for cathine or cathinone content. In the above analysis, the two Maytenus species tested, Maytenus gonoclada and Maytenus imbricata, did not contain cathinone or cathine.

PHYTOCHEMISTRY

Triterpenes, which include Dammara triterpenes, Friedelan triterpenes and Friedelin, have been found in the bark of Chuchuhuasi. Conophyllol and krukovine A to E are also among the triterpenes found in the bark. Further, the sesquiterpene alkaloids Ebenifolin E-I to E-V, as well as Ebenifolin W-I and W-II, and also other sesquiterpene alkaloids such as Euojaponin C, F, I and Euonymin are found in the bark. Other sesquiterpene alkaloids found in the bark are maytein, wilformin and wilforin. In addition, the carbohydrate dulcitol is also found in the bark (see Taylor 2005: 230ff).

PHARMACOLOGY

The anti-bacterial effect of the ethanol extract of Maytenus macrocarpa against Pseudomonas aeruginosa was demonstrated in one study (cf. Ulloa-Urizar et al. 2015: 930).

In another study, the anti-depressant and anti-psychotic effects of a dried ethanol extract of leaves of Maytenus macrocarpa were investigated in mice. It was concluded from the observations that doses of 500mg/kg and 1500mg/kg body weight had similar effects to fluoxetine, while the effect observed at 1000mg appeared to be similar to that of haloperidol. It is not certain what the mechanism of action is, but it is thought possible that the terpenes or polyphenols contained in the leaves may be responsible for this effect. It is also considered possible that the active ingredient that causes this effect has not yet been identified (see Tacuna-Calderon et al. 2018: 34f).

Furthermore, the anti-inflammatory effect of a dried ethanol extract of Maytenus macrocarpa leaves was also studied. In mice, the extract caused a state of agitation, abnormal gait, abdominal cramps, goose bumps, and scratching. The anti-inflammatory effect was observed at doses of 1000mg/kg and 1500mg/kg body weight and lasted up to 5 hours. The most anti-inflammatory effect occurred at a dose of 1250mg/kg body weight, and was similar to that of diclofenac (see Lujan-Carplo et al. 2019: 76ff).

Some effect of the bark against certain types of plasmodia was also noted (see Vasquez-Ocmin et al. 2018: 383).

SAFETY & TOXICITY

There appears to be little to no studies on the toxicity and side effects of chuchuhuasi. However, Lujan-Carpo et al. (2019) advise more caution due to the observed side effects in mice such as agitation, abnormal gait, abdominal cramps, goose bumps, and scratching. In addition, the effect of co-administration of chuchuhuasi and propanolol (=betablocker for the treatment of hypertension and cardiac arrhythmias) was studied. It was found that taking chuchuhuasi and propanolol together can have a harmful effect on the heart (see Zambrano-Huailla et al. 2016: 68). Therefore, caution is advised when taking chuchuhuasi and other medications.

PREPARATIONS

Chuchuhuasi is said to taste bitter, but is still a good base for herbal teas. With 5 grams of chuchuhuasi bark can be made 2 liters of tea or even a tea mixture with other herbs. In this case, the herbs are added to water and left to steep for one hour at a temperature of 60°C-70°C, resulting in 3-4 liters of herbal tea. Chuchuhuasi tea can also be sweetened with honey, or another natural sweetener (see Wolfe 2013: 105f).

NOTE

This is by no means an exhaustive account of the data on Chuchuhuasi, accordingly, doses and preparations are also critical. Although chuchuhuasi is used in folk medicine, there is little information about side effects in humans, so it is better to be cautious or refrain from using chuchuhuasi. The text is for information only about its use in folk medicine.

Sources:

Baxter, Herbert et al. (1999): Phytochemical Dictionary. A Handbook of Bioactive Compounds from Plants. London: Taylor & Francis Ltd.

Gerlach, Manfred et al. (2016): Neuro-/Psychopharmaka im Kindes- und Jugendalter: Grundlagen und Therapie. Berlin-Heidelberg: Springer-Verlag.

Gonzalez, J. et al. (1982): CHUCHUHUASHA – A Drug Used In Folk Medicine In The Amazonian And Andean Areas. A Chemical Study Of Maytenus Laevis. In: Journal of Ethnopharmacology 5: 73-77.

Lujan-Carplo, Elmer et al. (2019): Anti-Inflammatory and Neurobehavorial Effects of the Leaves from Maytenus macrocarpa (Ruiz and Pavon) Briquet in Mice. In: Pharmacognosy Journal 11 (1): 75-80.

Ozturk, Munir et al. (2019): Plant and Human Health, Volume 3. Switzerland: Springer Nature.

Polya, Gideon (2003): Biochemical Targets of Plant Bioactive Compounds. USA: CRC Press.

Rätsch, Christian; Müller-Ebeling, Claudia (2013): The Encyclopedia of Aphrodisiacs. Rochester, Vermont – Toronto, Canada: Park Street Press.

Tacuna-Calderon, Ana Lucia et al. (2018): Antidepressant and Antipsychotic-like Activity of the Ethanolic Extract of the Leaves of Maytenus macrocarpa. In: Pharmacognosy Journal 10 (6): 33-37.

Taylor, Leslie (2005): The Healing Power of Rainforest Herbs. A Guide to Understanding and Using Herbal Medicinals. New York: Square One Publishers.

Tembrock, Luke R. et al. (2017): Employing Two-Stage Derivatisation and GC-MS to Assay for Cathin and Related Stimulant Alkaloids across the Celastraceae. In: Phythochemical Analysis 28(4): 257-266.

Tudela-Talavera, Pio et al. (2016): Cultural Importance and Use of Medicinal Plants in the Shipibo-Conibo Native Community of Vencedor (Loreto) Peru. In: Ethnobotany Research & Applications 14: 533-548.

Tretter, Felix et al. (2017): Suchtmedizin kompakt. Suchtkrankheiten in Klinik und Praxis. Germany: Schattauer GmbH.

Ulloa-Urizar, Gabriela et al. (2015): Antibacterial activity of five Peruvian medicinal plants against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In: Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine 5 (11): 928-931.

Vasquez-Ocmin, Pedro et al. (2018): Antiprotozoal activity of medicinal plants used by Iquitos-Nauta road communities in Loreto (Peru). In: Journal of Ethnopharmacology 210: 372-385.

Wolfe, David (2013): Longevity Now. California: North Atlantic Books.

Zambrano-Huailla, Rommel et al. (2016): Study on the Temperature, respiratory rate, heart rate and Electrocardiogram of concomitant administration of Maytenus macrocarpa „Chuchuhuasi“ and Propanolol in escalating doses. In: Pharmacognosy Communications 6 (2): 64-71.

Hyperlinks:

[1]: PCIDB