Paraguay jaborandi
StarPilocarpus pennatifolius
Synonyms: Pilocarpus pennatifolius f. paraguariensis, Pilocarpus pennatifolius f. typicus, Pilocarpus pennatifolius f. gracilis, Pilocarpus pennatifolius f. brasiliensis, Pilocarpus simplex, Pilocarpus pennatifolius f. latifoliolatus, Pilocarpus selloanus, Pilocarpus selloanus var. gracilis, Pilocarpus trijugatus, Pilocarpus pennatifolius var. selloanus, Pilocarpus pennatifolius var. pilosus, Pilocarpus pinnatifidus, Pilocarpus pennatifolius var. genuinus, Pilocarpus pinnatus, Pilocarpus pennatifolius f. intermedius, Pilocarpus selloanus f. brevipedicellata
Western Herbalism Properties
Traditional Uses
Jaborandi leaf, derived in large part from Pilocarpus pennatifolius, entered Western medicine after the plant was brought from South America, and its powerful action was confirmed experimentally in 1873. In the Eclectic and wider Western herbal tradition the leaf was prized above all as a potent diaphoretic and sialagogue, producing profuse sweating and salivation by stimulating the secretory glands; it was also regarded as sedative, antispasmodic and diuretic, and was given for dry, hot skin, suppressed secretions and febrile states (Felter and Lloyd, 1898). The plant is native to Paraguay and southern Brazil, and the isolation of its alkaloid pilocarpine from the leaf established jaborandi as the botanical origin of an important pharmaceutical agent.
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Botanical Description
Pilocarpus pennatifolius, the Paraguay jaborandi, is a shrub or small tree in the citrus family (Rutaceae) native to southern Brazil, Paraguay and adjacent South America. It grows to several metres tall and bears alternate, pinnately compound leaves with several leathery, gland-dotted leaflets that, like the rest of the plant, are aromatic when crushed and contain numerous translucent oil glands visible against the light. The small flowers are borne in long, slender, drooping racemes and develop into dehiscent capsular fruits. The species is the most important commercial source, alongside the related Pilocarpus microphyllus, of the imidazole alkaloid pilocarpine, which is concentrated in the leaves; pilocarpine is a cholinergic (parasympathomimetic) agent that stimulates secretory glands and constricts the pupil, and it remains in clinical use for glaucoma and for the relief of dry mouth. A second leaf alkaloid, jaborine, partly antagonizes the actions of pilocarpine. The plant has been cultivated outside its native range, including in Sicily, for its alkaloid-bearing leaf.
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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