| Virola sebifera | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Class: | Magnoliopsida |
| Order: | Magnoliales |
| Family: | Myristicaceae |
| Genus: | Virola |
| Species: | V. sebifera |
| Binomial name | |
| Virola sebifera Aubl. |
|
| Synonyms | |
Virola sebifera,also known as Myristica sebifera, common names Ucuúba-do-Cerrado[3] and red ucuuba,[2] is a type of tree from the family Myristicaceae, from Central America and South America[4] (Costa Rica to northern Brazil).[1] It is found in evergreen forests and savannas up to about 1400 m in altitude.[1]
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Virola sebifera is a tall, thin tree, which grows 5 to 30 m tall.[1] The leaves are simple and grow up to 30 centimeters long. The small flowers are single-sexed and are found in panicles. The fruit is reddish, oval-shaped and about 10-15 mm long and about 11 mm in diameter.[1] The individual Virola trees, which include 40 to 60 species, are difficult to differentiate from one another.[5]
The bark of the tree is rich in tannins[4] and also the hallucinogen[6] dimethyltryptamine (DMT), as well as 5-MeO-DMT, and it is used by indigenous people to treat skin conditions. The ripe seeds contain fatty acid glycerides, especially laurodimyristin and trimyristin. [7] The bark contains 0.065% to 0.25% alkaloids, most of which are DMT and 5-MeO-DMT.[8] The "juice or gum" of the bark seems to have the highest concentrations of alkaloids (up to 8%).[8]
Seeds from Virola sebifera are processed to obtain the fats, which are yellow and aromatic. They smell like nutmeg.[9] The fats also become rancid quickly. They are used industrially in the production of fats, candles and soaps. This virola fat possesses properties similar to cocoa butter[7] and shea butter.
The wood of Virola sebifera has a density of about 0.37 g/cm³.[10]
The smoke of the inner bark of the tree is used by shamans of the indigenous people of Venezuela in cases of fever conditions, or cooked for driving out evil ghosts.[5]
Myristica sebifera, (Abbreviation: Myris) is derived from the fresh, red juice from the injured bark of the tree. It is especially used for such ailments as abscesses, phlegmon, paronychia, furuncle, anal fissures, infections of the parotid gland, bacterially infected tonsilitis, and others.[4][11][12]