PDR for Herbal Medicines

742 /SURINAM CHERRY FDR FOR HERBAL MEDICINES

Surinam Cherry

Eugenia uniflora

DESCRIPTION

Medicinal Parts: The medicinal parts are the bark of the

plant's main stem, the leaves and its fruit.

Flower and Fruit: The flowers are radial, in clusters of 1 to

8. The sepals are fused; the calyx has 4 or 5 points and a tube
   approximately 1.5 mm long. The sepals are ovate-elliptical,
   revolute and up to 4 mm long. The 4 or 5 petals are white,
   elongate-ovate and 8 to 12 mm long. There are numerous
   very conspicuous stamens. The ovary is an inferior coeno-
   carp. The fruit is a red, juicy berry with 8 vertical grooves
   and a diameter of 1 to 3 cm; it is usually 1-seeded.

Leaves, Stem and Root: The plant grows as a shrub or low

evergreen tree, which reaches a height of 3 to 10 m. The

leaves are opposite, 2.5 to 7 cm long and 1.5 to 4.5 cm wide,

short-petiolate, elliptical-ovate, blunt-tipped, slightly cordate

at the base, entire, densely and translucently punctate. The

trunk is slim (about the thickness of an arm), the bark is

smooth and light brown.

Characteristics: The plant produces a shiny red, cherry-sized

vitamin-rich fruit, whose strongly acidic taste is like that of a

nectarine.

Habitat: The plant grows abundantly in the tropics, especial-

ly in Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay.

Production: Surinam Cherries are the fresh fruit of Eugenia

uniflora, and Surinam Cherry leaves are the dried leaves of

the same plant.

ACTIONS AND PHARMACOLOGY

COMPOUNDS: SURINAM CHERRY LEAVES

Volatile oil (0.2 to 1%): composition very dependent on the

variety.

Components of an African variety include: furanodien

(20%), selina-l,3,7(ll)-trien-8-one (17%), oxidoselina-

l,3,7(ll)-trien-8-one (14%), in addition to caryophyllene,

germacrene B, germacrene D, cis- and trans-ocimene, beta-

selinene, spathulenol and viridiflorol

In a South American variety, the chief components include

carvone, pulegone, nerolidol, limonene and verbenone,

flavonoids: including quercitrin, myricitrin, and tannins.

EFFECTS: SURINAM CHERRY LEAVES
The flavonoids quercitrin and myricitrin contained in the
drug have an inhibiting effect on the xanthine oxidase; the
essential oil exhibits antimicrobial and antimycotic effect. A
possible protective effect in relation to hyperlipidemia has
been proposed. The drug may also exhibit astringent effects

due to tannins and flavonoids whose identities have not yet

been determined.

COMPOUNDS: SURINAM CHERRY FRUIT

Volatile oil: components including isofuranodiene, germa-

crene B, selina-4(14),7(U)-diene

Monosaccharides/oligosaccharides (6%): L-fructose, D-glu-

cose, saccharose

Carotinoids: including lycopine, gamma-carotine, beta-

cryptoxan thine

Fatty oil (in the seeds and the pulp)

Fruit acids: citric acid (2%)

EFFECTS: SURINAM CHERRY FRUIT

The fruit contains vitamin C, tannins and citric acid, which

explain its use as a dietetic. The essential oil of the fruit is

said to have an antimicrobial effect.

INDICATIONS AND USAGE

SURINAM CHERRY LEAVES

Unproven uses: Folk medicine practices include use of the

bark as an astringent in the treatment of diarrhea, gout, fever,

hypertension, gastrointestinal complaint, edema and eye

infections. The leaves have been made into a tea and as a

component of a distilled oil, used for treating chronic

inflammation of the mucous membranes of the respiratory

organs, primarily rhinitis.

SURINAM CHERRY FRUIT

Unproven Uses: Folk medicine includes use as a dietetic, but

efficacy for that use has not yet been proven.

PRECAUTIONS AND ADVERSE REACTIONS

No health hazards are known in conjunction wiuh the proper

administration of designated therapeutic dosages of either

drug.

DOSAGE

There is no information in the literature.

LITERATURE

Hansel R, Keller K, Rimpler H, Schneider G (Ed.), Hagers

Handbuch der Pharmazeutischen Praxis, 5. Aufl., Bde 4-6

(Drogen), Springer Verlag Berlin, Heidelberg, New York, 1992-

1994.

Wazlawik E, Da Silva MA, Peters RR, Correia JF, Farias MR,

Calixto JB, Ribeiro-Do-Valle RM, Analysis of the role of nitric

oxide in the relaxant effect of the crude extract and fractions

from Eugenia uniflora in the rat thoracic aorta. J Pharm

Pharmacol, 49:433-7, 1997 Apr.