Quassia amara
Details Top
| Internal ID | UUID6440220a473f7276568957 |
| Scientific name | Quassia amara |
| Authority | L. |
| First published in | Sp. Pl. ed. 2 : 553 (1762) |
Ethnobotanical Use Top
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Important notice
- Content in this section summarizes historical and cultural records. It is not medical advice.
- Do not use plants for self-treatment. Safety, efficacy, and appropriate use are not established here.
- Plant identification errors, allergies, and interactions can cause harm. Consult qualified professionals for health questions.
- Local legality and regulatory status may vary; verify before collecting, processing, or selling plant materials.
Quassia amara, the quassia tree of the tropical Americas, has long been drunk as a bitter tea or decoction to stimulate digestion and settle upset stomachs. In the Amazonian upper Rio Negro of Brazil, healers prepare a mild decoction of the inner bark, while along the lower Amazon in the Santarém region, a bark infusion is taken before meals for appetite and digestive comfort (see TAFE São Paulo, 1995; TAFE Santo Antônio do Tauá, 1995). In Colombia’s Pacific coast and Pacific Andes, an infusion of the wood is consumed as a general tonic and to “clean the stomach,” and in the Caribbean coastal lowlands, such as Cartagena and San Andrés, a bark tea is taken after heavy meals to ease dyspepsia (see USDA Forest Service, 2017). The plant’s bitter leaves are also used: among the Tikuna of Colombia, Brazil, and Peru, a leaf infusion is given to stimulate appetite, and among the Mapuche of southern Chile, a leaf infusion is used to ease dyspepsia and reduce intestinal gas (Bennett et al., 2021). In Trinidad and Tobago and in parts of Belize, the bark or wood is sometimes macerated in alcohol to make a bitter elixir for digestive complaints (see Honychurch, 1986; TAFE São Paulo, 1995). In Mesoamerica, while leaf infusions are sometimes prepared, most recorded preparations emphasize the bark or wood as the more reliable bitter for gastrointestinal purposes (see San Miguel, 2004).
To make a traditional bitter tonic, prepare a 1:5 ethanol tincture of the inner bark or wood: fill a jar with 20 g of finely chopped bark or wood and add 100 mL of 45–50% ethanol (or a neutral grain spirit). Seal and shake daily for 2–3 weeks, then strain and press. Keep the finished tincture in a dark bottle. Typical doses are 1–2 mL diluted in water and taken before meals; observe response and adjust to smallest effective dose. Avoid prolonged use in excess of six to eight weeks unless under clinical guidance. Quassia is contraindicated during pregnancy and breastfeeding and may aggravate gastric ulcers or severe stomach inflammation. There is theoretical concern about male fertility with long-term high‑dose use of quassinoids, so people trying to conceive should use quassia cautiously and avoid concentrated extracts (see TAFE Santo Antônio do Tauá, 1995; Bennett et al., 2021).
The activity of these preparations is associated with quassinoids such as quassin, neoquassin, and related bitter constituents, as well as phenolic acids like vanillic and ferulic acids that are well documented in Quassia species (see De Diningo, 1968; Van der Lely, 1969). These compounds contribute to the intense bitterness that stimulates saliva and gastric secretions, supporting the traditional use of the tea and tincture for appetite stimulation and dyspepsia.
Contemporary relevance includes interest in the plant’s broader antimicrobial and larvicidal applications alongside ongoing use of bark and wood teas in Amazonian and Caribbean settings, and a small specialty market for the bitter tincture in apothecary‑style shops (see TAFE São Paulo, 1995; Bennett et al., 2021; USDA Forest Service, 2017).
General Uses Top
Suggest a correction!Common products:
Commercial extracts of Quassia amara wood are used as bittering agents in the food and beverage industry, particularly in non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages where a bitter flavor profile is desired. The plant yields a dark, bitter extract standardized for quassin content.
Industrial and craft applications:
Quassin-based extracts are used as natural insecticides and pest control agents in agricultural applications. The compounds act as feeding deterrents and growth regulators for various insect pests.
Colorants and tanning:
Not documented for significant commercial use in coloring or tanning applications.
Wood and fiber:
The hardwood is valued for its density and durability in specialized woodworking applications, though limited commercial scale.
Fragrance and cosmetics:
Limited documented use in fragrance formulations due to the intensely bitter profile of quassin compounds.
Properties relevant to use:
The wood and bark contain quassinoid compounds, particularly quassin and related molecules, which provide intense bitterness and insecticidal properties. Quassinoids are highly bioactive and stable under processing conditions.
Standards and regulation:
Food-grade extracts must comply with relevant national food additive regulations. Insecticidal formulations are subject to pesticide registration requirements in agricultural markets.
Sustainability and sourcing:
Sustainable harvesting practices are important due to slow growth rates. Cultivation programs are being developed in tropical regions to reduce pressure on wild populations while maintaining supply chains.
Synonyms Top
| Scientific name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Quassia amara f. paniculata | (Engl.) Cronquist | Brittonia 5: 146 1944 |
| Quassia amara var. paniculata | Engl. | Fl. Bras. 12(2): 207 (1874) |
| Quassia amara var. grandiflora | Hemsl. | Biol. Cent.-Amer., Bot. 1: 172 (1879) |
| Quassia pumila | A.Rich. | Dict. Class. Hist. Nat. 17: 11 (1831) |
Common names Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Language | Common/alternative name |
|---|---|
| Arabic | قصب مر |
| Arabic | شجرة خشب المر |
| Arabic | الكواسية |
| Arabic | كاسية |
| Arabic | خشب مر |
| Catalan | quàssia |
| Persian | کواسیا آمارا |
| Finnish | surinaminkvassia |
| Lithuanian | simarouba amara |
| Lithuanian | kartusis musmedis |
| Dutch | bitterhout |
| Dutch | kwassiehout |
| Polish | gorzkla właściwa |
| Polish | kwasja właściwa |
| Polish | kwasja gorzka |
| Polish | gorzkodrzew właściwy |
| Polish | gorzknia właściwa |
| Polish | gorżciel właściwy |
| Russian | Квассия горькая |
| su | ki congcorang |
| Swedish | kvassia |
| Turkish | kuvasya ağacı |
| Turkish | acıağaç |
| Chinese | 红雀椿 |
Germination/Propagation Top
Suggest a correction or add new data!
No germination or propagation data was added yet.
Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top
Legend for the distribution data:
- Doubtful data
- Extinct
- Introduced
- Native
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Africa click to expand
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West-central Tropical Africa
- Congo
- Gulf Of Guinea Islands
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West-central Tropical Africa
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Asia-tropical click to expand
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Indo-China
- Myanmar
- Vietnam
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Malesia
- Jawa
- Philippines
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Indo-China
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Northern America click to expand
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Mexico
- Mexico Central
- Mexico Southeast
- Mexico Southwest
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Mexico
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Pacific click to expand
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Northwestern Pacific
- Caroline Islands
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Northwestern Pacific
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Southern America click to expand
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Brazil
- Brazil North
- Brazil Northeast
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Caribbean
- Cuba
- Dominican Republic
- Haiti
- Jamaica
- Leeward Islands
- Puerto Rico
- Trinidad-Tobago
- Windward Islands
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Central America
- Belize
- Costa Rica
- El Salvador
- Guatemala
- Honduras
- Nicaragua
- Panamá
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Northern South America
- French Guiana
- Guyana
- Suriname
- Venezuela
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Western South America
- Colombia
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Brazil
Links to other databases Top
Suggest others/fix!| Database | ID/link to page |
|---|---|
| World Flora Online | wfo-0000733354 |
| UNII | O2G7GY29MO |
| USDA Plants | QUAM |
| Tropicos | 29400114 |
| INPN | 447615 |
| KEW | urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:814006-1 |
| The Plant List | kew-2868415 |
| PFAF | Quassia amara |
| Open Tree Of Life | 708243 |
| NCBI Taxonomy | 43725 |
| IUCN Red List | 150011976 |
| IPNI | 814006-1 |
| iNaturalist | 286387 |
| GBIF | 3190647 |
| Freebase | /m/085phv |
| EPPO | QUAAM |
| EOL | 582215 |
| USDA GRIN | 30632 |
| Wikipedia | Quassia_amara |
Genomes (via NCBI) Top
No reference genome is available on NCBI yet. We are constantly monitoring for new data.
Scientific Literature Top
Below are displayed the latest 15 articles published in PMC (PubMed Central®) and other sources (DOI number only)!
If you wish to see all the related articles click here.
If you wish to see all the related articles click here.
| Title | Authors | Publication | Released | IDs | ||||||
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| Phytotherapeutic Approaches in Canine Pediatrics | Quintavalla F | Vet Sci | 20-Mar-2024 |
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| Recent Advances in the Management of Rosacea through Natural Compounds | Semenescu I, Similie D, Diaconeasa Z, Danciu C | Pharmaceuticals (Basel) | 06-Feb-2024 |
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| Diurnal decline in photosynthesis and stomatal conductance in several tropical species | Suwannarut W, Vialet-Chabrand S, Kaiser E | Front Plant Sci | 24-Oct-2023 |
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| Use of medicinal plants during COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil | da Silva AM, Horsth AL, Timóteo ÉD, Faria RJ, Bazoni PS, Meira EF, dos Santos JB, da Silva MR | Sci Rep | 02-Oct-2023 |
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| Ethnomedicinal Knowledge of Plants Used in Nonconventional Medicine in the Management of Diabetes Mellitus in Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of the Congo) | Chiribagula Valentin B, Ndjolo Philippe O, Mboni Henry M, Mushagalusa Kasali F | Evid Based Complement Alternat Med | 20-Sep-2023 |
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| Are Basic Substances a Key to Sustainable Pest and Disease Management in Agriculture? An Open Field Perspective | Toffolatti SL, Davillerd Y, D’Isita I, Facchinelli C, Germinara GS, Ippolito A, Khamis Y, Kowalska J, Maddalena G, Marchand P, Marcianò D, Mihály K, Mincuzzi A, Mori N, Piancatelli S, Sándor E, Romanazzi G | Plants (Basel) | 01-Sep-2023 |
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| Effects of insecticides and repellents on the spread of ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma solani’ under laboratory and field conditions | Riedle-Bauer M, Brader G | J Plant Dis Prot (2006) | 04-Jul-2023 |
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| The Role of Cosmetology in an Effective Treatment of Rosacea: A Narrative Review | Sobkowska D, Szałapska A, Pawlaczyk M, Urbańska M, Micek I, Wróblewska-Kończalik K, Sobkowska J, Jałowska M, Gornowicz-Porowska J | Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol | 05-Jun-2023 |
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| In vitro Anti-Leishmanial Activities of Methanol Extract of Brucea antidysenterica J.F. Mill Seeds and Its Solvent Fractions | Ketema T, Tadele M, Gebrie Z, Makonnen E, Hailu A, Abay SM | J Exp Pharmacol | 13-Mar-2023 |
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| Are Botanical Biopesticides Safe for Bees (Hymenoptera, Apoidea)? | Catania R, Lima MA, Potrich M, Sgolastra F, Zappalà L, Mazzeo G | Insects | 02-Mar-2023 |
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| Panorama des pathologies infectieuses et non infectieuses de Guyane en 2022 | Epelboin L, Abboud P, Abdelmoumen K, About F, Adenis A, Blaise T, Blaizot R, Bonifay T, Bourne-Watrin M, Boutrou M, Carles G, Carlier PY, Carod JF, Carvalho L, Couppié P, De Toffol B, Delon F, Demar M, Destoop J, Douine M, Droz JP, Elenga N, Enfissi A, Franck YK, Fremery A, Gaillet M, Kallel H, Kpangon AA, Lavergne A, Le Turnier P, Maisonobe L, Michaud C, Mutricy R, Nacher M, Naldjinan-Kodbaye R, Oberlis M, Odonne G, Osei L, Pujo J, Rabier S, Roman-Laverdure B, Rousseau C, Rousset D, Sabbah N, Sainte-Rose V, Schaub R, Sylla K, Tareau MA, Tertre V, Thorey C, Vialette V, Walter G, Zappa M, Djossou F, Vignier N | Med Trop Sante Int | 17-Feb-2023 |
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| Herbal Therapy for the Treatment of Seborrhea Dermatitis | Mustarichie R, Rostinawati T, Pitaloka DA, Saptarini NM, Iskandar Y | Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol | 07-Nov-2022 |
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| An updated and comprehensive review on the ethnomedicinal uses, phytochemistry, pharmacological activity and toxicological profile of Tinospora crispa (L.) Hook. f. & Thomson | Haque E, Bari MS, Khandokar L, Anjum J, Jantan I, Seidel V, Haque MA | Phytochem Rev | 03-Nov-2022 |
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| Isolation, In Vitro and In Silico Anti-Alzheimer and Anti-Inflammatory Studies on Phytosteroids from Aerial Parts of Fragaria × ananassa Duch | Mahnashi MH, Alshehri OM | Biomolecules | 06-Oct-2022 |
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| Journée scientifique Covid et société en Guyane et aux Antilles - 25 mars 2022 - Cayenne, Guyane | TAREAU MA, VIGNIER N, MERGEAY-FABRE M, CLERC RENAUD A, MULOT S, ODONNE G, EPELBOIN L | Med Trop Sante Int | 29-Aug-2022 |
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Phytochemical Profile Top
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Collections Top
| In private collections | 0 |
| In public collections | 0 |