Hintonia latiflora
StarHintonia latiflora
Synonyms: Hintonia latiflora var. leiantha, Coutarea latiflora, Portlandia pterosperma, Coutarea pterosperma
Western Herbalism Properties
Traditional Uses
In Mexican folk medicine the bitter inner bark of copalchi (quina amarilla) is a long-established remedy, taken as a bark decoction or infusion chiefly to lower blood sugar in diabetes and to treat fevers, including malarial fever, as well as for digestive complaints (Argueta, 1994). Phytochemical and pharmacological studies of the species have isolated 4-phenylcoumarins and related constituents and have documented hypoglycaemic and antiplasmodial/antimicrobial activity, supporting the traditional antidiabetic and antifebrile use (Mata et al., pharmacology of Hintonia latiflora).
Botanical Description
Hintonia latiflora, known as copalchi, quina or quina amarilla, is a tree or large shrub of the Rubiaceae up to about 10 m tall, native to seasonally dry forests of Mexico (notably Guerrero) and Central America, including Guatemala. The branches are slender, pilose to glabrous, bearing opposite, short-stalked leaves with oval to elliptic blades 4–12 cm long and 2.5–5 cm wide, often with domatia in the vein axils. The terminal inflorescence carries large, funnel-shaped, white, fragrant flowers. The fruit is a woody capsule. When the outer cork of the trunk is removed at harvest, the inner bark is bright yellow and intensely bitter, the part valued in traditional medicine. It grows on rocky slopes and in tropical deciduous woodland.
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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