ANNATTO BIXA ORELLANA

ANNATTO (Bixa orellana L.) ++

Activities (Annatto):
- Antibacterial (1; 60P; TRA); Antidote, cassava (f; JFM); Antidote, jatropha (f; JFM); Antiprostaglandin (1; 60P); Antipyretic (f; MPI; WO2); Antisecretory (f; WO2); Antiseptic (1; WO2); Antispasmodic (1; WO2); Antitumor (1; TRA; WO2); Aphrodisiac (female) (f; DAD; 60P; JFM); Astringent (f; 60P; DEP; JFM; MPI); Candidicide (1; TRA); CNS-Depressant (1; TRA; WO2); Digestive (f; WO2); Diuretic (f; 60P; IED; JFM); Emmenagogue (f; JFM); Emollient (f; DAV; WO2); Expectorant (f; DAV); Fungicide (1; TRA); Hemostat (1; WO2); Hyperglycemic (1; DAD; TRA); Hypertensive (1; TRA); Hypoglycemic (1; 60P; TRA); Hypotensive (1; 60P; WO2); Immunostimulant (1; TRA); Insectifuge (f; 60P); Laxative (f; JFM; MPI; WO2); Myorelaxant (f; 60P); Parasiticide (1; DAD); Spasmogenic (1; WO2); Trichomonicide (1; TRA); Uterocontractant (1; TRA); Vermifuge (f; DAD).

Indications (Annatto):
- Acne (f; 60P); Alopecia (f; DAD); Asthma (f; JFM); Bacteria (1; 60P; TRA); Bite (f; MPI); Bleeding (1; WO2); Blister (f; WO2); Burn (f; DAD; TRA; WO2); Cancer (f; JLH); Cancer, mouth (f; DAD); Candida (1; TRA); Childbirth (f; DAV; IED); Condylomata (f; JLH); Conjunctivosis (1; DAV); Cramp (1; WO2); Dermatosis (f; JFM); Diabetes (1; JFM; WO2); Diarrhea (f; IED; JFM); Dysentery (f; 60P; DEP; JFM; WO2); Dyspnea (f; JFM); Epilepsy (f; WO2); Eruption (f; JFM); Fever (f; 60P; JFM; MPI; WO2); Flu (f; JFM); Fungus (1; TRA); Gastrosis (f; DAV); Gonorrhea (1; JFM; MPI; TRA); Headache (f; JFM); Hemorrhoid (f; JFM); Hepatosis (f; DAV; JFM); High Blood Pressure (1; 60P; WO2); High Blood Sugar (1; 60P); Hyperglycemia (1; 60P; TRA); Hypoglycemia (1; DAD; TRA); Immunodepression (1; TRA); Infection (1; TRA; WO2); Jaundice (f; JFM; WO2); Leprosy (f; JFM; WO2); Low Blood Pressure (1; TRA); Malaria (f; MPI; WO2); Measles (f; JFM); Mycosis (1; TRA); Nausea (f; JFM); Nephrosis (f; DAD; DEP); Pain (f; DAD); Parasite (1; DAD); Pleurisy (f; JFM); Pulmonosis (f; IED); Respirosis (f; IED); Salmonella (1; TRA); Scar (f; WO2); Snakebite (f; MPI); Sore (f; JLH; WO2); Sore Throat (f; JFM; WO2); Stomachache (f; JFM); Stomatosis (f; DAD; JFM); Tonsilosis (f; DAV); Tumor (1; TRA; WO2; JLH); Uterosis (f; JFM); Vomiting (f; JFM); Water Retention (f; 60P; IED; JFM); Worm (f; DAD); Wound (f; JFM); VD (f; DAV; JFM; MPI); Yeast (1; TRA).

Dosages (Annatto):
- For diuretic activity, boil 9 seed pods in 3 cups of water for 10 minutes; drink 1 cup before each meal (AAB); 10 g powdered seed/40 ml oil for topical pastes (TRA); 3 leaf/0.5 l water + red paste = female aphrodisiac (JFM).

Contraindications, Interactions, and Side Effects (Annatto):
- Not covered (AHP; PH2). Seeds contain a toxic alkaloid (JFM). Ingesting the tea for diabetes mellitus, may be contraindicated since trans-bixin is hyperglycemic. Toxicity, if real, is low grade, especially in well-nourished experimental animals. Toxicity commences in dogs given 60 mg/kg trans-bixin (DAD). Ethanolic seed extracts active against Escherichia, Salmonella, and Staphylococcus; aqueous and chloroform  extracts hypoglycemic, but alcohol extract hyperglycemic (TRA). Root extracts hypotensive in rats at 50 mg/kg, slowing gastric secretions 400 mg/kg (TRA).