Family: Fabaceae
Genus: Hymenaea
Species: courbaril
Synonyms: Hymenaea animifera, H. candolleana, H. multiflora, H. resinifera, H. retusa, H. stilbocarpa, Inga megacarpa
Common Names: Jatoba, jatobá, stinking toe, algarrobo, azucar huayo, jataí, copal, Brazilian copal, courbaril, nazareno, Cayenne copal, demarara copal, gomme animee, pois confiture, guapinol, guapinole, loksi, South American locust
Part Used: Bark, resin, leaves

Jatobá is a huge canopy tree, growing to 30 m in height, and is indigenous to the Amazon rainforest and parts of tropical Central America. It produces bright green leaves in matched pairs, white, fragrant flowers that are pollinated by bats, and an oblong, brown, pod-like fruit with large seeds inside. The fruit is considered edible although hardly tasty; one of its common names, “stinking toe,” is used to describe the smell and taste of the fruit! In the Peruvian Amazon the tree is called azucar huayo and, in Brazil, jatobá. The Hymenaea genus comprises two dozen species of tall trees distributed in tropical parts of South America, Mexico, and Cuba.

Several species of Hymenaea, including jatobá, produce usable copal resins. At the base of the jatobá tree an orange, sticky, resinous gum collects, usually underground (however, the bark also produces smaller amounts of resin when wounded). The resin of Hymenaea trees converts to amber through a remarkable chemical process requiring millions of years. During this process, volatile plant chemicals leach out of the resin and other non-volatile chemicals bond together. This forms a hard polymer that is resistant to natural decay processes and the ravages of time. As portrayed in the Jurassic Park movies, amber of million-year-old Hymenaea trees have provided scientists with many clues to its prehistoric presence on earth as well as to the insects and other plants encased in it.

TRIBAL AND HERBAL MEDICINE USES

In the Amazon, jatobá’s aromatic copal resin is dug up from the base of the tree and burned as incense, used in the manufacture of varnishes, used as a glaze for pottery, and is employed medicinally. Indians in the Amazon have long used the resin in magic rituals, love potions and in wedding ceremonies. Although the name Hymenaea is derived from Hymen, the Greek God of marriage, it refers to the green leaflets that always occur in matching pairs, rather than the Indian’s use of it in marriage ceremonies. Jatobá’s bark and leaves also have an ancient history of use with the indigenous tribes of the rainforest. The bark of the tree is macerated by the Karaja Indians in Peru and Creole people in Guyana to treat diarrhea. In Ka’apor ethnobotany, jatobá bark is taken orally to stop excessive menstrual discharge, applied to wounded or sore eyes, and used to expel intestinal worms and parasites. The bark is used in the Peruvian Amazon for cystitis, hepatitis, prostatitis, and coughs. In the Brazilian Amazon, the resin is used for coughs and bronchitis, and a bark tea is used for stomach problems as well as foot and nail fungus.

With its long history of indigenous use, it would follow that jatobá has a long history of use in herbal medicine systems throughout South America. It was first recorded in Brazilian herbal medicine in 1930. The bark was described by Dr. J. Monteiro Silva who recommended it for diarrhea, dysentery, general fatigue, intestinal gas, dyspepsia, hematuria, bladder problems, and hemoptysis (coughing blood from the lungs). The resin was recommended for all types of upper respiratory and cardiopulmonary problems. In the mid-1960s an alcohol bark extract called Vinho de Jatobá was widely sold throughout Brazil as a tonic and fortificant, for energy, and for numerous other disorders.

In traditional medicine in Panama, the fruit is used to treat mouth ulcers and the leaves and wood are used for diabetes. In the United States, jatobá is used as a natural energy tonic, for such respiratory ailments as asthma, laryngitis, and bronchitis, as a douche for yeast infections and it is taken internally as a decongestant and for systemic candida in the stomach and intestines. It is also used in the treatment of hemorrhages, bursitis, bladder infections, arthritis, prostatitis, yeast and fungal infections, cystitis, and is applied topically for skin and nail fungus. At present, none of the research has indicated that jatobá has any toxicity. One study highlighted the mild allergic effect that jatobá resin may have when used externally.

PLANT CHEMICALS

Chemical analysis of jatobá shows that it is rich in biologically active compounds including diterpenes, sesquiterpenes, flavonoids, and oligosaccharides. The phytochemical makeup of jatobá is very similar to another resin-producing rainforest tree, copaiba, which is also featured in this book. Some of these same chemicals occuring in both plants (such as copalic acid, delta-cadinene, caryophyllene and alpha-humulene) have shown to exhibit significant anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal and antitumor activities in clinical studies. In other research, another of jatobá’s phytochemicals, astilbin, was shown in a 1997 clinical study to provide antioxidant and liver protective properties.

Jatobá also contains terpene and phenolic chemicals which are responsible for protecting the tree from fungi in the rainforest. In fact, the jatobá tree is one of the few trees in the rainforest that sports a completely clean trunk bark, without any of the usual mold and fungus found on many other trees in this wet and humid environment. These antifungal terpenes and phenolics have been documented in several studies over the years and the antifungal activity of jatobá is attributed to these chemicals.

The main chemicals found in jatobá include: Alpha-copaene, alpha-cubebene, alpha-himachalene, alpha-humulene, alpha-muurolene, alpha-selinene, astilibin, beta-bisabolene, beta-bourbonene, beta-copaene, betacubebene, beta-gurjunene, beta-humulene, beta-selinene, beta-sitosterol, calarene, carboxylic acids, caryophyllene, catechins, clerodane diterpenes, communic acids, copacamphene, copalic acid, cubebene, cyclosativene, cyperene, delta-cadinene, gamma-muurolene, gamma-cadinene, halimadienoic acids, heptasaccharides, kovalenic acid, labdadiene acids, octasaccharides, oligosaccharides, ozic acids, polysaccharides, selinenes, and taxifolin.

BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITIES AND CLINICAL RESEARCH

In addition to its antifungal properties, jatobá also has been documented to have anti-yeast activity against a wide range of organisms including Candida. Other clinical studies have been performed on jatobá since the early 1970s which have shown that it has antimicrobial, molluscicidal (kills/controls snails & slugs), and antibacterial activities, including in vitro actions against such organisms as E. coli, Psuedomonas, Staphylococcus and Bacillus. In addition, a water extract of jatobá leaves has demonstrated significant hypoglycemic activity, producing a significant reduction in blood sugar levels (which validates another traditional use).

CURRENT PRACTICAL USES

Practitioners have long reported that jatobá bark has shown dramatic results with acute and chronic cystitis and prostatitis. Many practitioners today are discovering that these chronic conditions oftentimes can be fungal in nature rather than bacterial. The widespread use of antibiotics to treat these conditions can actually kill off friendly bacteria which live off fungi – and increase the chances of a fungal problem or encourage fungal growth – even to the point of making the condition chronic. When these types of chronic prostatitis and cystitis cases react so quickly and dramatically to jatobá supplements, is it probably from jatobá’s antifungal and anti-yeast properties at work, not its antibacterial properties.

Natural health practitioners in the United States are learning of jatobá’s many uses and employing it as a natural remedy for prostatitis and cystitis, as a healthful tonic for added energy (without any caffeine or harmful stimulants), and for many fungal and yeast problems such as candida, athlete’s foot, yeast infections and stubborn nail fungus. It is a wonderful, helpful natural remedy from an important and ancient rainforest resource.

Traditional Preparation: One-half to one cup bark decoction 1-3 times daily or 1-3 ml of a 4:1 tincture is taken twice daily. A strong bark decoction or standard tincture diluted with water and a small amount of cider vinegar is used topically for skin or nail fungi or employed as a douche for yeast infections.

Contraindications: Jatobá leaves have been documented to have a hypoglycemic effect and, as such, should be used under practitioner supervision by diabetics.

Drug Interactions: None reported.

Referenced Quotes on Jatoba

1. “This tonic and energizer is used by lumberjacks in the Brazilian Rainforests to help them feel strong and vigorous, keep a good appetite, and stay productive. The tea is effective in respiratory ailments such as chronic cough, asthma, lung weakness, laryngitis, and bronchitis. It works well as a decongestant and has anti-fungal properties. Other uses of Jatoba include the treatment of hemorrhage, bursitis, bladder infections, yeast and fungal infections, cystitis, arthritis, and prostatitis.”

2. “Jatoba helps to decongest the urinary tract and can be excellent for cystitis, and bladder and prostate infections. It has been used as a system energizer, fortifier and decongestant. It has been used for treating respiratory problems.”

3. “ACTIONS: Decongests urinary tract, Enhances treatment of cystitis and prostatitis, Anti-inflammatory to bladder, System fortifier. TRADITIONAL USE: Jatoba is highly regarded as a natural energy tonic. Besides being an energizer and tonic, Jatoba is used for cystitis, prostatitis and diseases of the bladder. It has been used for treating respiratory problems. It is a decongestant and fortifier for the system. MERIDIAN INDICATIONS: Reduces damp heat in Lower Burner, Disperses blood stagnation, Reduces inflammation, Clears toxic pus, Painful urination / dribbling, Pain in testicles or prostate EAV POINTS: Bladder, Bladder 65, Triple Warmer. CAUTION: If condition persists, or in case of pain or high fever, consult your health care practitioner.”

8. “Brazilian uses and Folklore: Jatoba tea is a natural tonic for the organism. According to Dr. J. Monteiro Silva, whoever drinks Jatoba tea feels”. . . strong and .vigorous, with a good appetite, always ready to work”. Lumberjacks who work in the forests of Brazil generally take a jar of Jatoba tea or extract with them to drink during the day: it gives them energy. Besides being an energizer and tonic, Jatoba has also given very good results in cases of acute and chronic cystitis and prostatitis. When mixed with a little honey it is influential in treating respiratory problems such as bronchitis, chronic coughs and asthma. The resin of the tree is employed externally as an ointment to relieve aches and pains.Uses: For symptoms of cystitis, prostatitis, bronchitis, asthma, and chronic coughs. Tonic and energizer. Used in homeopathy as a mother tincture.
* Livro verde, p. 547.”

10. “Hymenaea courbaril L. Fabaceae. “Algarrobo”, “Azucar huayo”. Brazilians drink the sap for cough (BDS). Reportedly useful for cystitis, hepatitis, prostatitis, and tuberculosis (RAR). Bark tea used for athlete’s foot or foot fungus (BDS). “Karaja”, like “Creoles” take macerated bark for diarrhea (RVM, MJP). Resin in old stumps used for tinder (MJP).”

19. “Hymenaea coubaril
Large tree of the old fallow
SFS01: Secondary food source: fruit/seed edible
HHI22: Household Items: pottery slip from resin
HHI31 Household items: trunk of tree used as trough or receptacle for processing manioc meal
FUE01: Fuel Sources: good firewood
FUE03: Fuel Sources: resin/latex used for incandescense
MED10: Medicinal uses: vermifuge
MED24: Medicinal uses: applied to wounded or sore eyes
MED34: Medicinal uses: taken orally to stop excessive menstrual discharge”

21. “LEGUMINOSAE
Hymenaea Linnaeus
Hymenaea has two dozen species of tall unarmed, resiniferous trees distributed in tropical parts of South America, Mexico and Cuba; the centre of speciation lies in the Amazon. Some yield excellent varnish resins. One, H. courbaril, has a yellowish or orange-colored resinous gum, collected in lumps at the base of the tree or by wounding the bark; it is employed as incense in churches and in the manufacture of varnishes. Terpenes and phenolics are responsible for the inhibition of growth of leaf fungus on these plants. (Arrhenius, 1983).
REFERENCES:
Arrhenius, S. P., C. E. Foster et al., Phytochemistry 22 (1983) 471.”

Published Research on Jatobá

All available third-party research on jatobá can be found at PubMed. A partial listing of the published research on jatobá updated through Feb 2019 is shown below:

Anticandidal & Antifungal Actions: 
Jatobá contains terpene and phenolic chemicals which are responsible for protecting the tree from fungi in the rainforest. In fact, the jatobá tree is one of the few trees in the rainforest that sports a completely clean trunk bark, without any of the usual mold and fungus found on many other trees in this wet and humid environment. These antifungal terpenes and phenolics have been documented in several studies over the years and the antifungal activity of jatobá is attributed to these chemicals.
Boniface, P., et al. “Current state of knowledge on the traditional uses, phytochemistry, and pharmacology of the genus Hymenaea.” J. Ethnopharmacol. 2017 Jul; 206: 193-223.
Costa, M., et al. “Essential oils from leaves of medicinal plants of Brazilian flora: Chemical composition and activity against Candida species.” Medicines. 2017 May; 4( 2): E27.
da Costa, M., et al. “Antifungal and cytotoxicity activities of the fresh xylem sap of Hymenaea courbaril L. and its major constituent fisetin.” BMC Complement. Altern. Med. 2014 Jul; 14: 245.
Cavin, A., “Bioactive diterpenes from the fruits of Detarium microcarpum.” J. Nat. Prod. 2006; 69(5): 768-73.
Abdel-Kader, M., et al. “Isolation and absolute configuration of ent-Halimane diterpenoids from Hymenaea courbaril from the Suriname rain forest.” J. Nat. Prod. 2002; 65(1): 11-5.
Yang, D., et al. “Use of caryophyllene oxide as an antifungal agent in an in vitro experimental model of onychomycosis.” Mycopathologia. 1999; 148(2): 79-82.
Hostettmann, K., et al. “Phytochemistry of plants used in traditional medicine.” Proceedings of the Phytochemical Society of Europe. Clarendon Press, Oxford. 1995.
Rahalison, L., et al. “Screening for antifungal activity of Panamanian plants.” Inst. J. Pharmacog. 1993; 31(1): 68-76.
Verpoorte, R., et al. “Medicinal plants of Surinam. IV. Antimicrobial activity of some medicinal plants.” J. Ethnopharmacol. 1987; 21(3): 315-18.
Arrhenius, S.P., et al. “Inhibitory effects of Hymenaea and Copaifera leaf resins on the leaf fungus, Pestalotia subcuticulari.” Biochem. Syst. Ecol. 1983; 11(4): 361-66.
Giral, F., et al. “Ethnopharmacognostic observation on Panamanian medicinal plants. Part 1.” Q. J. Crude Drug Res. 1979; 167(3/4): 115-30.
Marsaioli, A. J., et al. “Diterpenes in the bark of Hymenaea courbaril.” Phytochemistry. 1975; 14: 1882-83.

Antiparasitic & Antimalarial Actions:
Ribeiro, T., et al. “Antileishmanial activity and cytotoxicity of Brazilian plants.” Exp. Parasitol. 2014 Aug; 143: 60-8.
Valente, P., et al. “In vitro acaricidal efficacy of plant extracts from Brazilian flora and isolated substances against Rhipicephalus microplus (Acari: Ixodidae).” Parasitol. Res. 2014 Jan; 113(1): 417-23.
Polanco-Hernández, G., “Synergistic effect of lupenone and caryophyllene oxide against Trypanosoma cruzi.” Evid. Based Complement. Alternat. Med. 2013; 2013: 435398.
Kohler, I., et al. “In vitro antiplasmodial investigation of medicinal plants from El Salvador.” Z. Naturforsch. 2002; 57(3-4): 277-81.
Hostettmann, K., et al. “Phytochemistry of plants used in traditional medicine.” Proceedings of the Phytochemical Society of Europe. Clarendon Press, Oxford. 1995.
Rouquayrol, M. Z., et al. “Molluscicidal activity of essential oils from Northeastern Brazilian plants.” Rev. Brasil Pesq. Med. Biol. 1980; 13: 135-43.
Pinheiro de Sousa, M., et al. “Molluscicidal activity of plants from Northeast Brazil.” Rev. Bras. Pesq. Med. Biol. 1974; 7(4): 389-94.

Antibacterial &Antiviral Actions:
Wang, J., et al. “Astilbin inhibits the activity of sortase A from Streptococcus mutans.” Molecules. 2019 Jan; 24(3).
Aarthy, M., et al. “Discovery of potent inhibitors for the inhibition of dengue virus envelope protein: an in silico approach.” Curr. Top. Med. Chem. 2018; 18(18): 1585-1602.
Boniface, P., et al. “Current state of knowledge on the traditional uses, phytochemistry, and pharmacology of the genus Hymenaea.” J. Ethnopharmacol. 2017 Jul; 206: 193-223.
Cecilio, A., et al. “Screening of Brazilian medicinal plants for antiviral activity against rotavirus.” J. Ethnopharmacol. 2012 Jun; 141(3): 975-81.
Tincusi, B., et al. “Antimicrobial terpenoids from the oleoresin of the Peruvian medicinal plant Copaifera paupera.” Planta Med. 2002; 68(9): 808-12.
Denyer, C., et al. “Isolation of antirhinoviral sesquiterpenes from ginger (Zingiber officinale).” J. Nat. Prod. 1994; 57(5): 658-62.
Muroi, H., et al. “Combination effects of antibacterial compounds in green tea flavor against Streptococcus mutans.” J. Agric. Food Chem. 1993; 41: 1102-5.
Caceres, A., et al. “Plants used in Guatemala for the treatment of dermatomucosal infections. 1: Screening of 38 plant extracts.” J. Ethnopharmacol. 1991; 33(3):277-83.
Verpoorte, R., et al. “Medicinal plants of Surinam. IV. Antimicrobial activity of some medicinal plants.” J. Ethnopharmacol. 1987; 21(3): 315-18.

Antioxidant Actions:
Jatobá’s documented antioxidant actions are thought to be related to its content of astilbin, fisetin, taxifolin, and other known antioxidant chemicals called procyanidins. 
Zhu, Y., et al. “Neuroprotective effects of Astilbin on MPTP-induced Parkinson’s disease mice: Glial reaction, α-synuclein expression and oxidative stress.” Int. Immunopharmacol. 2019 Jan; 66: 19-27.
Zhang, H., et al. “Nrf2 ARE signaling acts as master pathway for the cellular antioxidant activity of fisetin.” Molecules. 2019 Feb; 24(4).
Althunibat, O., et al. “Fisetin ameliorates oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis in diabetic cardiomyopathy.” Life Sci.2019 Feb 8
Xie, X., et al. “Taxifolin protects RPE cells against oxidative stress-induced apoptosis.” Mol. Vis. 2017 Jul; 23: 520-528.
Wang, M., et al. “Astilbin improves potassium oxonate-induced hyperuricemia and kidney injury through regulating oxidative stress and inflammation response in mice.” Biomed. Pharmacother. 2016 Oct; 83: 975-988.
Topal, F., et al. “Antioxidant activity of taxifolin: an activity-structure relationship.” J. Enzyme Inhib. Med. Chem. 2016 Aug; 31(4): 674-83.
Bezerra, G., et al. “Phytochemical study guided by the myorelaxant activity of the crude extract, fractions and constituent from stem bark of Hymenaea courbaril L.” J. Ethnopharmacol. 2013 Aug; 149(1): 62-9.
Sasaki, K., et al. “High-performance liquid chromatographic purification of oligomeric procyanidins, trimers up to nonamers, derived from the bark of Jatoba (Hymenaea courbaril).” Biosci. Biotechnol. Biochem. 2009 Jun; 73(6): 1274-9.
Closa, D., et al. “Prostanoids and free radicals in CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity in rats: effect of astilbin.” Prostaglandins Leukot. Essent. Fatty Acids. 1997; 56(4): 331-34.
Lopez, J. A. “Isolation of astilbin and sitosterol from Hymenaea courbaril.” Phytochemistry 1976; 15: 2027F.

Anti-inflammatory & Muscle Relaxant Actions:
Jatobá’s anti-inflammatory actions are thought to be provided, in part, by the large amount of astilbin and caryophyllene oxide found in the bark. These natural plant chemicals are also found large amounts in another rainforest tree resin called copaiba (Copaifera).
do Rosário, M., et al. “Degalactosylation of xyloglucans modify their pro-inflammatory properties on murine peritoneal macrophages.” Int. J. Biol. Macromol. 2017 Dec; 105(Pt 1): 533-540.
Boniface, P., et al. “Current state of knowledge on the traditional uses, phytochemistry, and pharmacology of the genus Hymenaea.” J. Ethnopharmacol. 2017 Jul; 206: 193-223.
Wang, M., et al. “Astilbin improves potassium oxonate-induced hyperuricemia and kidney injury through regulating oxidative stress and inflammation response in mice.” Biomed. Pharmacother. 2016 Oct; 83: 975-988.
Chavan, M., et al. “Analgesic and anti-inflammatory activity of Caryophyllene oxide from Annona squamosa L. bark. Phytomedicine. 2010 Feb; 17(2): 149-51.
Bezerra, G., et al. “Phytochemical study guided by the myorelaxant activity of the crude extract, fractions and constituent from stem bark of Hymenaea courbaril L.” J. Ethnopharmacol. 2013 Aug; 149(1): 62-9.
Veiga Junior, V., et al. “The inhibition of paw oedema formation caused by the oil of Copaifera multijuga Hayne and its fractions.” J. Pharm. Pharmacol. 2006; 58(10): 1405-10.
Basile, A. C., et al. “Anti-inflammatory activity of oleoresin from Brazilian Copaifera.” J. Ethnopharmacol. 1988; 22(1): 101-9.

Chelation Actions:
Asensio, V., et al. “Screening of native tropical trees for phytoremediation in copper-polluted soils.” Int. J. Phytoremediation.2018; 20(14): 1456-1463.
Mendonça, A., et al. “RR2 dye adsorption to Hymenaea courbaril L. bark activated carbon associated with biofilm.” Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res. Int. 2018 Nov 22.
Dos Santos, N., et al. “Phytoremediation of Brazilian tree species in soils contaminated by herbicides.” Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res. Int. 2018 Sep; 25(27): 27561-27568.

Non-Toxic Actions:
Vale, C., et al. “Assessment of toxic, genotoxic, antigenotoxic, and recombinogenic activities of Hymenaea courbaril (Fabaceae) in Drosophila melanogaster and mice.” Genet. Mol. Res. 2013 Jul; 12(3): 2712-24.