Cordia Ecalyculata

Cordia salicifolia, also called Cordia ecalyculata and chá de bugre, is a species of evergreen flowering tree in the borage family, Boraginaceae, that occurs mainly in Brazil and is used as a medicinal plant. Its red fruit, which resembles a coffee bean and contains caffeine, is roasted and brewed as a coffee substitute. The leaves and fruit contain compounds such as caffeine, allantoin, allantoic acid, β-sitosterol, and spathulenol, as well as a significant amount of the electrolyte potassium. The plant has been used as a diuretic, as an appetite suppressant, and to promote skin healing. It shows activity against herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) in vitro. It has also shown some usefulness as a snakebite antivenom.

PLATES