Baccharis crispa
StarBaccharis crispa
Synonyms: Baccharis perplexa, Baccharis subcrispa, Baccharis genistelloides subsp. crispa, Molina cylindrica, Baccharis genistelloides var. cylindrica, Molina crispa, Baccharis cylindrica, Baccharis genistelloides var. crispa, Pingraea crispa
Western Herbalism Properties
Traditional Uses
Carqueja (Baccharis crispa / B. trimera) is one of the most widely used medicinal plants of South America. In Brazilian, Argentine, Uruguayan and Paraguayan folk medicine the bitter aerial parts are taken as an infusion or decoction for gastric, intestinal, hepatic and biliary complaints, as a digestive bitter, for fevers, and for diabetes and weight loss (de Oliveira et al., review of B. trimera; Argentine folk-medicine records). Pharmacological studies confirm hepatoprotective activity (the essential-oil constituent carquejol increases bile production and protects hepatocytes against lipid peroxidation), together with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial and antidiabetic activities attributed to its flavonoids, terpenes and chlorogenic acids (review, Phytomedicine/J. Ethnopharmacol.; PMC32846588).
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Botanical Description
Baccharis crispa (often treated as synonymous with Baccharis trimera, and one of the South American plants called carqueja) is a perennial subshrub of the daisy family (Asteraceae) native to southern Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and Bolivia. It is a striking, nearly leafless plant up to about a metre tall whose photosynthesis is carried out mainly by its conspicuously winged green stems: the stems bear three longitudinal, wavy or crisped membranous flanges that give the plant a distinctive flattened, jointed appearance. True leaves are reduced or absent. Like other Baccharis species it is dioecious, with separate male and female plants; the small whitish to cream flowerheads are clustered along the wings of the stems, the female heads producing achenes topped by a fine pappus for wind dispersal. It grows in grasslands, campos, open hillsides and disturbed ground, and is widely harvested from the wild for traditional use.
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.
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