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Potential benefits are recommended based upon traditional uses and may not be generally recognized as substantiated by competent and reliable scientific evidence. Any use of the techniques, education, information, herbal salves, and other products or services is based upon customer informed consent and private license. Results may vary depending upon use and commitment.

Traditional Amazonian Herb

Espinheira Santa

Espinheira Santa
(Maytenus ilicifolia)


120 Capsules x 500 mg.

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Summarized Description: Espinheira Santa (Holy Thorn) is a small evergreen tree that grows up to 5 meters in height. It's name comes from its thorny leaves and berries, which resemble holly. This variety of Maytenus is found in various locations throughout the Amazon.


Uses & Protocols
A tea made from Espinheira Santa (Holy Thorn) has long been used in Brazil as a traditional digestive tea. Extensive studies have been conducted on this herb, based on its long-standing traditional use. Unlike many medicinal herbs that we carry, this herb has extremely low toxicity, meaning that most "overdosages" do not carry dangerous consequences. (Two reports shows no toxicity on rats and mice up to 1 g. per kg. of body weight!)
This herbal is one of several members of the Maytenus genus that has been the subject of laboratory research. (Taylor, p. 277)

Warnings & Contraindications
Not recommended for women seeking to get pregnant, already pregnant, or with estrogen-positive cancers.


Shelf-Life
Five years or more.

James Duke's Handbook of Medical Plants of Latin America
Medicinal Activities
Further information for practitioners: World-famous botanist Dr. James Duke attributes the following activities to this plant (p. 444-445; see hardcopy cover at right, purchasable on Amazon), drawn from the extant literature. (See his graduation for "level of efficacy" on our amazon traditionals page; followed by Duke's bibliographic abbreviations (in capital letters), which we identify on a separate page.)
Duke provides a "food farmacy potential" score for this plant of "FNFF=!."

  • Abortifacient (f1; MPG; RAI)
  • Adrenergic (f; RAI)
  • Analgesic (f; MPG; RAI)
  • Antiasthmatic (f; MPG)
  • Antifertility (f; RAI)
  • Antiimplantation (1; MPG; RAI)
  • Antileukemic (1; MPG; RAI)
  • Antisarcomic (1; HH2)
  • Antiseptic (1; HH2; MPB; MPG; PH2; RAI)
  • Antispasmodic (f; MPG)
  • Antitumor (f1; MPB; PH2; RAI)
  • Antiulcer (1; HH2; MPB; MPG; PH2)
  • Aphrodisiac (f; RAI)
  • Bactericide (1; HH2)
  • Candicide (1; HH2)
  • Cicatrizant (f; MPG)
  • Contraceptive (f; RAI)
  • Cytotoxic (1; MPG; PH2; RAI)
  • Depurative (f; MPB)
  • Detoxicant (f; RAI)
  • Diuretic (f1; MPG)
  • Embyotoxic (1; HH2)
  • Emmenagogue (f; MPG; RAI)
  • Estrogenic (1; RAI)
  • Fungicide (1; HH2)
  • Gastrogogue (1; MPG)
  • Laxative (f; RAI)
  • Nephrotonic (f; RAI)
  • NO-Genic (1; X16243464)
  • Sialagogue (f; MPG; RAI)
  • Teratogenic (1; HH2)
  • Tonic (f; MPB)
  • Vasorelaxant (1; X16243464)
  • Vulnerary (f; RAI)


Indications
Further information for practitioners: Duke provides the following indications for this plant:
  • Acne (f; HH2)
  • Alcoholism (f; PH2)
  • Anemia (f; PH2; RAI)
  • Asthma (f; MPG; PH2; RAI)
  • Bacteria (1; HH2)
  • Cancer (f1; HHB; JLH; MPB; PH2; RAI)
  • Cancer, breast (1; HH2)
  • Cancer, head (1; HH2)
  • Cancer, ovary (1; HH2; RAI)
  • Cancer, skin (1; HHB; JLH; PH2)
  • Cancer, throat (1, HH2)
  • Candida (1; HH2)
  • Colic (f; RAI)
  • Constipation (f; RAI)
  • Dermatosis (f1; HHB; JLH; PH2; RAI)
  • Diarrhea (f; RAI)
  • Duodenosis (f; HH2)
  • Dysmenorrhea (f; RAI)
  • Dyspepsia (f; PH2; RAI)
  • Eczema (f; HH2; PH2)
  • Enterosis (f; PH2)
  • Escherichia (1; HH2)
  • Exhaustion (f; PH2)
  • Fever (f; MPB)
  • Fungus (1; HH2)
  • Gas (f; PH2)
  • Gastrosis (f; HH2; MPB; PH2)
  • Hepatosis (f; RAI)
  • Hodgkin's (1; HH2)
  • Hyperacidity (f; MPB; PH2)
  • Impotence (f; RAI)
  • Infection (1; HH2; MPB; MPG; PH2; RAI)
  • Inflammation (f; PH2)
  • Leukemia (1; FNF; HH2; MPG; RAI)
  • Lymphoma (1; HH2; RAI)
  • Melanoma (1; FNF; HH2)
  • Mycosis (1; HH2)
  • Oliguria (f; RAI)
  • Ophthalmia (f; PH2)
  • Pain (f; MPG; PH2; RAI)
  • Rashes (f; RAI)
  • Respirosis (f; RAI)
  • Rheumatism (f; RAI)
  • Salmonella (1; HH2)
  • Sarcoma (1; HH2)
  • Shigella (1; HH2)
  • Sores (f; HH2; MPB; PH2)
  • Spasms (f; MPG; RAI)
  • Staphylococcus (1; HH2)
  • Streptococcus (1; HH2)
  • Swelling (f; PH2)
  • Ulcers (f1; HH2; MPB; MPG; PH2)
  • UTIs (f; RAI)
  • Wounds (f; MPB; RAI)
  • Yeast (1; HH2)




To U.S. Users: This product have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.


Recent Studies on
Espinheira Santa
Sourced from PubMed
Disclaimer: The following citations provide findings on the properties of Espinheira Santa and offer insights into prospective areas of future research. These findings should not be inferred to provide the basis of medicinal claims, nor should they be relied upon by the public, as such. Readers who want full access to the PubMed database are encouraged to register with NCBI.
As of Jan. 2017, there were 73 citations on PubMed for Espinheira Santa. Below are list a few of the more notable:
Extensive information about Anamu is covered on the Raintree Forest website. Even better, you can purchase Leslie Taylor's excellent reference book, The Healing Power of Rainforest Herbs: A Guide to Understanding and Using Herbal Medicinals at Amazon.