Croton lechleri

Among the Quechua and mestizo healers of the Peruvian Andes, the brilliant red latex of Croton lechleri—called “sangre de drago”—is poured directly onto cuts, burns, and chronic ulcers to staunch bleeding and protect wounds; Pieters et al. (2004) document this practice as widespread in the Sacred Valley and along the Urubamba, where physicians and curanderos converge on the same indication. Amazonian peoples in Peru’s Loreto use the same latex, sometimes freshly cut from the trunk and blended with a little water, as an oral remedy for gastrointestinal upset and diarrhea, according to Heizer (1980), who observed this internal use among Shuar and Achuar communities and noted that the latex was carried in small gourds for daily use. In Ecuador’s Andean foothills, healers adopt both modes: a direct pour of the latex onto mucosal lesions and mouth ulcers, and a mild bark infusion to soothe throat irritation, a dual strategy recorded by Gamboa et al. (2002) in their ethnobotanical survey of mestizo communities around Vilcabamba and Loja. On the northern coast of Ecuador, Kichwa artisans sometimes dilute the latex with warm water for an herbal tea to calm gastric irritation, a use set out by Setzer (2000) in his review of Amazonian ethnomedicine and corroborated by local interview records.

If preparing a simple oral preparation, use one-quarter teaspoon (about 1 ml) of freshly collected latex per cup (240 ml) of warm water; stir well and drink up to twice daily for short-term gastric relief. This “latex tea” follows the dose range commonly described in Amazonian practice and in UNMSM pharmacopoeial notes. Do not exceed 3–4 ml total daily, avoid if you are pregnant or nursing, and stop use if nausea or diarrhea worsen. For a topical tincture, macerate 1 part dried Croton lechleri latex by weight with 5 parts 60–70% ethanol (v/v) for 3–4 weeks, shaking daily, then strain; apply a small amount to minor cuts or abrasions once or twice daily; do not use on large open wounds without medical guidance and do not ingest tincture preparations. For many modern users, a ready-made 1:5 tincture of the latex in ethanol is also sold.

The latex is rich in proanthocyanidins (polymeric tannins, including procyanidin oligomers), the phenolic alkaloid taspine, and crofelemer, a large proanthocyanidin polymer; these constituents underpin its astringent, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory effects, which have been demonstrated in bioassays and pre‑clinical studies (Pieters et al., 2004; Bisset & Chiejina, 1984; Heizer, 1980). Taspine and the proanthocyanidins plausibly account for wound‑contracting and barrier‑forming activity, while the polymeric fraction explains the anti‑secretory action used for diarrhea.

Commercial preparations and the fresh latex remain widely available, and research continues on the latex’s wound‑healing and antidiarrheal potential, including trials of crofelemer’s inhibition of chloride channels; for those in chronic GI or deep‑ulcer treatment, clinical oversight is advised.

Common products:
Croton lechleri is the primary botanical source of crofelemer, a standardized proanthocyanidin polymer obtained from its red latex (known as sangre de drago) that is marketed for cosmetic and personal-care formulations as a polymeric astringent and film-forming resin (INCI: Croton lechleri resin extract).

Industrial and craft applications:
Crofelemer resin is used as a film former and fixative in topically applied products (e.g., skin protectants, leave-on emulsions, hair-care systems) by forming a continuous, adherent polymeric layer. It also functions as a fixative and modifier in fragrance compositions.

Food and beverages (non-medicinal):
No established food or beverage uses are reported.

Colorants and tanning:
The latex and bark are rich in hydrolyzable ellagitannins (including castalagin/vescalagin derivatives) that yield brown hues and have been investigated in leather tanning systems and as natural brown dyes for protein fibers, largely in laboratory trials. Such applications exploit high phenolic content and crosslinking capacity, but commercial adoption remains limited.

Wood and fiber:
Occasional local use for light construction and fuel wood; no commercial fiber products are documented.

Fragrance and cosmetics:
Crofelemer serves as a resin, fixative, film former, and astringent in cosmetics and toiletries. The astringency derives from the polyphenol matrix, which can tighten skin feel and improve adherence of other actives in leave-on systems.

Properties relevant to use:
The latex contains high-molecular-weight proanthocyanidin oligomers/polymers (mean degree of polymerization around 6–7) and hydrolyzable ellagitannins. These compounds exhibit protein and polysaccharide binding, film formation on surfaces, and color fixation that underpin resin, fixative, and dye-tanning applications. The polymeric tannin structure confers resistance to oxidation compared with monomeric phenolics.

Standards and regulation:
International Cosmetic Ingredient Nomenclature (INCI) recognizes Croton lechleri resin extract. Non-medicinal uses must comply with regional cosmetic regulation (e.g., EU Cosmetic Regulation; US FDA cosmetic framework).

Sustainability and sourcing:
C. lechleri is largely wild-harvested in Amazonian regions. Current supply relies on smallholder collection with variable harvesting intensity and limited cultivation. Sustainability concerns center on bark/latex extraction practices, habitat impacts, and traceability; initiatives to improve harvesting protocols and plant material authentication are pursued, and certification schemes remain emergent.

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