Bitterwood
Picrasma excelsa
Central America, Jamaica
Traditional Uses
Digestive relief, poor appetite, deworming, blood sugar control, fever, lice (topical), rheumatism.
Modern Research Uses
Clinical data shows that as a tincture can treat treat lice, bitter tonics and teas for indigestion and poor appetite; extracts studied for blood-sugar lowering; researched as an anthelmintic to expel worms; topical preparations for head lice; quassin studied for insecticidal and drug-interaction (CYP450) effects
Mechanism of Action
Main compounds are quassinoids (quassin, neoquassin). They trigger bitter taste receptors that boost saliva, stomach acid, and bile, may interfere with drug-processing liver enzymes, and are toxic to parasites.
Body Systems Affected
Prep & Administration
Toxicity Notes
Digestive, Cardiovascular, Immune
Tea, Tincture, Capsule, Topical oil, Poultice, Decoction
Moderate
Adverse reactions with pregnancy, large oral doses irritate the GI tract and cause vomiting, parenteral quassin is toxic