Scientific Name: Chenopodium Ambrosioides
Origin: United States
Common Names: Epazote, mexican tea, american wormseed, jesuit's tea, erva-de-santa maria, wormseed, apasote, chenopode, feuilles a vers, paico, jerusalem tea, spanish tea, ambroisie du mexique, wurmsamen, hierba hormiguera
Parts used: Leaf, whole plant, seed
Active Compounds: Alpha-pinene, caritasone, ascaridole, butyric-acid, d-camphor, essential oils, ferulic-acid, geraniol, l-pinocarvone, limonene, malic-acid, menthadiene, menthadiene hydroperoxides, methyl-salicylate, myrcene, p-cymene, p-cymol, safrole, saponins, spinasterol, tartaric-acid, terpinene, terpinyl-acetate, terpinyl-salicylate, triacontyl-alcohol, trimethylamine, urease, and vanillic-acid.
Background: The plant and seed have a long history of use among all indigenous people in every region where the plant grows. The seed oil, first isolated for commercial use in 1895.
Description: An annual herb, native to tropical regions of Central and South America, Epazote
reaches 4 ft in height. It is multi-branched, has reddish stems covered with small slightly petioled oblong-lanceolate toothed leaves. Small yellowish-green flowers grow in numerous small clusters along stem producing thousands of tiny dark brown to black smooth shiny seeds. The fruit is perfectly enclosed in the calyx. Plant has very distinctive, strong odor.
Safety: The seed oil has an extremely high toxicity rating and should not be taken internally. Should not be used during pregnancy or lactation. Contraceptive indications: do not use when conception is desired.
Drug Interactions: None known.
More Bulk Herbs and Spices Information:
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Dragon's Blood
For educational purposes only
This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.