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Botanical Name |
: |
Malpighia glabra L. |
English
Name |
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Acerola, West Indian cherry, Barbados cherry, Wild crapemyrtle |
Synonym(s) |
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Malpighia punicifolia L. |
Family |
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Malpighiaceae |
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General Info
| Description |
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A tropical fruit-bearing shrub or small tree which grows to 3 m tall, with a dense, thorny crown. Leaves are evergreen, simple ovate-lanceolate, 5-10 cm long, with an entire margin. Flowers are produced in umbels of 2-5 together, each flower 1-1.5 cm diameter, with five pink or red petals. Fruits are round to oblate, 1.5-2 cm diameter, red-orange to bright red, juicy, containing 2-3 hard seeds. Seeds are 3 lobed of which each is triangular with fluted wings. |
| Herb Effects |
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Anti-inflammatory, diuretic, antioxidant and astringent (fruits) |
Chemistry
| Active Ingredients |
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Ascorbic acid, beta-carotene, niacin, pantothenic acid, riboflavin, thiamin (fruits) |
| Chemistry
of Active Ingredients |
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|
 |
Name |
CAS# |
IUPAC Name |
Formula |
Structure |
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| Ascorbic acid |
Not Available |
2-(1,2-dihydroxyethy
l)-4,5-dihydroxy-fur
an-3-one |
C6H8O6 |
|
| Beta-carotene |
Not Available |
3,7,12,16-tetramethy
l-1,18-bis(2,6,6-tri
methyl-1-cyclohexeny
l)-octadec
a-1,3,5,
7,9,11,13,15,17-nona
ene |
C40H56 |
|
| Niacin |
99148-57-9 |
Pyridine-3-carboxyli
c acid |
C6H5NO2 |
|
| Pantothenic acid |
599-54-2 |
3-[(2,4-dihydroxy-3,
3-dimethyl-butanoyl)
amino]propanoic acid |
C9H17NO5 |
|
| Riboflavin |
Not Available |
Not Available |
C17H21N4O9P |
|
| Thiamin |
59-43-8 |
2-[3-[(4-amino-2-met
hyl-pyrimidin-5-yl)m
ethyl]-4-methyl-1-th
ia-3-azoni
acyclope
nta-2,4-dien-5-yl]et
hanol |
C12H17N4OS+ |
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Pharmacology
| Medicinal Use |
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Used against fever, liver problems, diarrhoea, dysentery, coughs and colds, and also employed as a nutritive aid for anemia, diabetes, high cholesterol levels, rheumatism, tuberculosis and during convalescence (fruits). |
Dealers
Products
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Health Remedies 
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