Hymenaea stigonocarpa
StarHymenaea stigonocarpa
Western Herbalism Properties
Traditional Uses
In Brazilian cerrado folk medicine the thick stem bark of jatobá-do-cerrado is widely prepared as a tea to treat gastric pain, ulcers and diarrhoea, and the bark and aromatic resin are used as a tonic, especially as a restorative for the respiratory tract and for urinary complaints (Costa et al., 2014; Orsi et al., 2012). Pharmacological studies attribute its gastroprotective, antidiarrhoeal and wound-healing effects to its high content of condensed tannins and flavonoids.
Botanical Description
Hymenaea stigonocarpa, the jatobá-do-cerrado, is a medium-sized deciduous tree of the legume family (Fabaceae, subfamily Detarioideae) endemic to the Brazilian cerrado (savanna) of central Brazil. It typically grows 4-15 m tall, with a thick, deeply fissured, corky grey bark and a broad, irregular crown. The leaves are alternate and compound, each bearing a single pair of asymmetric, leathery, glossy leaflets with a curved, pointed tip, a distinctive trait of the genus. The fragrant flowers are whitish and borne in terminal clusters. The fruit is a large, hard, woody, oblong indehiscent pod with a thick rough shell, enclosing a few seeds surrounded by a dry, mealy, pale-yellow, sweet edible pulp that smells strongly and is eaten and made into flour. The tree exudes an amber to reddish aromatic resin from the trunk. It grows on the deep, well-drained sandy or lateritic soils of open cerrado and cerradão woodland, tolerating the fire, drought and seasonal climate of the region.
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.
📝 Notes
Public notes from the community and your own private notes on Hymenaea stigonocarpa.
No notes yet.