From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Justicia pectoralis is a herb of the Acanthus family
(Acanthaceae). This water-willow is widely known as
tilo in Latin America. In Haiti it is called
chapantye and zeb
chapantyè on Dominica and Martinique. Other folk names are
carpintero ("carpenter"), té
criollo ("Criollo
tea"), curia, death-angel,
masha-hari, or "piri piri". This species was described by Nikolaus Joseph von Jacquin
in 1760, with additional data by the same author in 1763. A
well-marked variety, var. stenophylla,
was described by Leonard in
1958.[1]
Uses
Medicinal
uses
Across its range it is used in folk medicine as a relaxant and
general tonic. Scientific study[2]
likewise indicates that J. pectoralis preparations can
possess anti-inflammatory and relaxant effects, and it supports
recovery from influenza.
With the United
States' economic embargo against Cuba tightened under the Bush presidency, tilo has been used
extensively by Cuban health services. It is an underutilized
medical crop, and has some potential as an agricultural plant for
small-scale farming.[3]
Other
uses
As regards other applications, it is noted for its pleasant
smell and as a source of coumarin, which it produces in plenty, and
which in combination with umbelliferone is responsible for many of
its notable properties. It is also admixed to epená (Virola) snuff
to make it smell more pleasant. In particular var.
stenophylla might also be hallucinogenic in
certain preparations; it is known to wajacas (shamans) of
the Craós (Krahós, Krahô) tribe in Brazil, who know that variety as
mashi-hiri and consider it a potent entheogen, not to be taken
by the uninitiated.[4]
Etymology
The name "tilo" could be by association with Tilia, the linden trees. These
are entirely unrelated eudicots whose flowers have similar
relaxant properties. The water-"willows" are not relatives of the
true willows either; like the lindens, the latter belong to the rosid branch of
the eudicots.
- ^
CTF [2003], USDA (2006a,b), Erowid (2007)
- ^
E.g. Lino et al. (1997), Leal et al. (2000)
- ^
CTF [2003], TRAMIL (2006), Erowid (2007), de la Osa [2008]
- ^
Lino et al. (1997), Rodrigues & Carlini (2006), TRAMIL
(2006), Erowid (2007)
References
- Comisión Técnica de Fitomed
(CTF) [2003]: Tilo [in Spanish].
Retrieved 2008-NOV-01.
- de la
Osa, José [2008]: Gripe [in Spanish].
Retrieved 2008-NOV-01.
- Erowid (2007): Justicia
pectoralis. Version of 2007-JUL-19. Retrieved
2008-NOV-01.
- Leal,
L.K.; Ferreira, A.A.; Bezerra, G.A.; Matos, F.J. & Viana,
G.S.J (2000): Antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory and
bronchodilator activities of Brazilian medicinal plants containing
coumarin: a comparative study. Ethnopharmacology
70(2): 151-159. HTML abstract
- Lino,
C.S.; Taveira, M.L.; Viana , G.S.B. & Matos, F.J.A.
(1997): Analgesic and antiinflammatory activities of Justicia
pectoralis Jacq and its main constituents: coumarin and
umbelliferone. Phytotherapy Research
11(3): 211-215. DOI:10.1002/(SICI)1099-1573(199705)11:3<211::AID-PTR72>3.0.CO;2-W.
HTML abstract
- Rodrigues, Eliana & Carlini,
E.A. (2006): Plants with possible psychoactive effects used
by the Krahô Indians, Brazil. Revista Brasileira de
Psiquiatria 28(4): 277-282. PDF fulltext
- TRAMIL (2006): Medicinal Plants of the
Caribbean Pharmacopœia. Retrieved 2008-NOV-01.
- United States
Department of Agriculture (USDA) (2006a): Germplasm Resources
Information Network – Justicia
pectoralis. Version of 2006-AUG-04. Retrieved
2008-APR-04.
- United States
Department of Agriculture (USDA) (2006b): Germplasm Resources
Information Network – Justicia pectoralis
var. stenophylla. Version of 2006-AUG-04. Retrieved
2008-APR-04.
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