Dalbergia ecastaphyllum

Among Maroon communities of Suriname, the leaves and young twigs of coin vine are boiled for a gentle, aromatic tea that is drunk daily for cough and chest discomfort according to The Ethnobotany of the Guianas. Among Amerindian groups of the Guianas, the same parts are taken as an internal wash and a tea for sore throat and upper‑respiratory irritation (Medicinal Plants of the Guianas, 2003), while in Amazonian Brazil and the Guianas the leaves are brewed as a febrifuge tea (Burkill, 1995; Clement et al., 2015). Across these regions, infusions and decoctions are commonly prepared from fresh or dried leaves and sometimes small twigs, and the preparation is scaled in home kitchens rather than large vats.

A practical mild leaf infusion is straightforward: place 6–8 leaves (about 8–10 grams) in a teapot, pour 250 milliliters of recently boiled water, cover, and steep for 7–10 minutes; strain and sip one cup two or three times daily, for up to one week. A decoction for cough is prepared by simmering 12–16 leaves in 500 milliliters of water for 20–25 minutes, cooling, and drinking 150 milliliters twice daily. These preparations belong to mainstream Guianan household practice and are well documented in The Ethnobotany of the Guianas. Because the species contains coumarins that may act as anticoagulant potentiators, avoid concurrent use with warfarin or other blood thinners and do not exceed moderate daily volumes.

The herb’s taste and its reported tonic and cough‑relieving actions are consistent with its chemistry: fresh leaves contain scopoletin and isoscopoletin, a 6‑O‑β‑D‑glucoside of scopoletin, as well as the coumarins umbelliferone and fraxetin (Silva et al., 2005), with the COUMARIN coumarin itself present in the plant’s aerial parts (Silva et al., 2007). The scopoletin pathway is closely tied to anti‑inflammatory, smooth‑muscle‑relaxing effects reported in related medicinal plants, which supports the traditional antispasmodic use for coughs and throat irritation.

Coin vine continues to be used today as a household respiratory remedy throughout parts of the Guianas and northern Brazil, and it is marketed in herbal blends for colds and flu; recent pharmacological work has begun to explore its anti‑inflammatory and antimicrobial properties (e.g., Silva et al., 2010), providing a backdrop to its long‑standing use.

Common products:
- Ornamental planting and living fences for coastal stabilization and shade.

Industrial and craft applications:
- Posts, stakes, and small craft or turnery items where heartwood color and density are valued.

Food and beverages (non-medicinal):
- No documented uses as food, beverage ingredient, or fermentable substrate.

Colorants and tanning:
- No documented production of dyes or tannins for leather finishing.

Wood and fiber:
- Dense, decay-resistant heartwood used in specialty turned objects and small carpentry; reported as suitable for tool handles, carving, and fence posts. Solid wood quality attributed to extractives contributing to durability.

Fragrance and cosmetics:
- No documented essential oils, absolutes, or fixatives in commercial fragrance or cosmetics.

Properties relevant to use:
- High density and decay resistance (long-term ground contact); extractives conferring durability to heartwood.

Standards and regulation:
- International trade is regulated under CITES Appendix II and relevant national timber/EU Timber Regulations to prevent misidentification and overharvest of Dalbergia species.

Sustainability and sourcing:
- Collected from wild coastal populations; risk of local depletion is noted when harvested for fence posts and small timbers. Sustainable practices focus on planting and harvesting cycles that exceed typical post replacement timeframes.

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No reference genome is available on NCBI yet. We are constantly monitoring for new data.

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