Whole Tepezcohuite Bark

Description

Mimosa tenuiflora (tepezcohuite) is a thorny tree with reddish-brown bark that can reach between 4 and 6 m in height. Its characteristic short, upright, very sharp thorns measure between 2 and 3 cm. It bears yellowish-white flowers, generally in cylindrical spikes.

The tree grows mainly in warm, humid climates, particularly in grasslands and thorny scrub; it occurs in the dry parts of warm, humid regions as part of low thorn forests. Its distribution extends from Brazil, and specimens have been found in northern Mexico, although its most abundant population is in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, Oaxaca and southern Chiapas, Mexico. In some parts of Mexico, it is considered a weed that is difficult to eradicate because it invades crops, especially maize, and abandoned farmland, forming dense, extensive stands, particularly in the Cintalapa Valley and the north-western coastal plain of Chiapas, Mexico. Based on specimens found in Mexico, Central America and South America, Tepezcohuite has been known since the early twentieth century. Its traditional uses also date back to ancestral times, and it has recently been rediscovered or become fashionable for the cosmetic and pharmaceutical properties of its bark.

Saponin triterpenes known as mimonosides A, B and C have been identified in the trunk bark, along with campesterol, stigmasterol and daucosterol sterol glycosides, and the indole alkaloids 5-hydroxytryptamine and N-N-dimethyltryptamine.

Antibiotic activity and smooth-muscle-stimulating activity have been detected in the trunk bark.

It is commonly known as Jurema, Jurema Preta, Catinga, Tepezcohuite and Tepescohuite.

Traditional uses of Tepezcohuite (Mimosa tenuiflora):

• Wood: Fuel (firewood and/or charcoal) and fence posts.
• Living plant: Living fences and an alternative crop, protecting cropland and, less commonly, pasture, or alternating cropland, mainly maize, with Tepezcohuite plots.
• Medicinal use: Washing wounds, as compresses or dressings for superficial skin wounds, and gargling for abrasions of the mouth, palate, gums, etc.
• Tannins: Dyeing fabrics.
• Powder: Traditionally used for second- and third-degree burns, reportedly relieving pain quickly and healing without leaving a
  mark. However, in very severe (third-degree) burns, the powder has been observed to become wet on direct contact with damaged tissue and serum, forming an impermeable black covering because the bark contains gums, crystals and tannins, as well as microorganisms that may contribute to infection. This covering prevents oxygenation and therefore the healing of deep burns.
• Soap: Traditionally used for all types of dermatoses, acne, dark spots, wrinkles and pregnancy-related stretch marks.
• Ointment: Traditionally used for minor burns, skin conditions, dark spots, fungal infections and herpes.
• Extract: Traditionally used for allergies, eczema and scars, and as a hair tonic.
• Talc: Used after shaving and for allergic reactions, rashes, itching and chafing.
• Shampoos: For all hair types; strengthens the scalp and helps prevent dandruff and hair loss.
• Moisturising cream: Regenerates the skin and softens expression lines.
• Collagen cream: Regenerates the skin, reduces dark spots and helps prevent wrinkles.

As well as being a natural resource of thorn-scrub forests in central Chiapas and the Isthmus of Tehuantepec in Oaxaca, Tepezcohuite is a source of livestock fodder. Various therapeutic applications have been reported, particularly for the skin and stomach ulcers, and it has potential for use in blends with extracts of other medicinal plants. However, the negative effects attributable to its alkaloid content must be considered, so treatments should not be continued without professional supervision.

Taxonomy

Botanical name: Mimosa tenuiflora - Family: Fabaceae - Genus: Mimosa