ANNATTO (Bixa orellana L.)

ANNATTO (Bixa orellana L.) ++
Activities (Annatto) — Antibacterial (1; 60P; TRA); Antidote, cassava (f; JFM); Antidote, jatropha
(f; JFM); Antiprostaglandin (1; 60P); Antipyretic (f; MPI; WO2); Antisecretory (f; WO2); Antiseptic
(1; WO2); Antispasmodic (1; WO2); Antitumor (1; TRA; WO2); Aphrodisiac (female) (f; DAD;
60P; JFM); Astringent (f; 60P; DEP; JFM; MPI); Candidicide (1; TRA); CNS-Depressant (1; TRA;
WO2); Digestive (f; WO2); Diuretic (f; 60P; IED; JFM); Emmenagogue (f; JFM); Emollient (f;
DAV; WO2); Expectorant (f; DAV); Fungicide (1; TRA); Hemostat (1; WO2); Hyperglycemic (1;
DAD; TRA); Hypertensive (1; TRA); Hypoglycemic (1; 60P; TRA); Hypotensive (1; 60P; WO2);
Immunostimulant (1; TRA); Insectifuge (f; 60P); Laxative (f; JFM; MPI; WO2); Myorelaxant (f;
60P); Parasiticide (1; DAD); Spasmogenic (1; WO2); Trichomonicide (1; TRA); Uterocontractant
(1; TRA); Vermifuge (f; DAD).
Indications (Annatto) — Acne (f; 60P); Alopecia (f; DAD); Asthma (f; JFM); Bacteria (1; 60P;
TRA); Bite (f; MPI); Bleeding (1; WO2); Blister (f; WO2); Burn (f; DAD; TRA; WO2); Cancer
(f; JLH); Cancer, mouth (f; DAD); Candida (1; TRA); Childbirth (f; DAV; IED); Condylomata (f;
JLH); Conjunctivosis (1; DAV); Cramp (1; WO2); Dermatosis (f; JFM); Diabetes (1; JFM; WO2);
Diarrhea (f; IED; JFM); Dysentery (f; 60P; DEP; JFM; WO2); Dyspnea (f; JFM); Epilepsy (f;
WO2); Eruption (f; JFM); Fever (f; 60P; JFM; MPI; WO2); Flu (f; JFM); Fungus (1; TRA);
Gastrosis (f; DAV); Gonorrhea (1; JFM; MPI; TRA); Headache (f; JFM); Hemorrhoid (f; JFM);
Hepatosis (f; DAV; JFM); High Blood Pressure (1; 60P; WO2); High Blood Sugar (1; 60P);
Hyperglycemia (1; 60P; TRA); Hypoglycemia (1; DAD; TRA); Immunodepression (1; TRA);
Infection (1; TRA; WO2); Jaundice (f; JFM; WO2); Leprosy (f; JFM; WO2); Low Blood Pressure
(1; TRA); Malaria (f; MPI; WO2); Measles (f; JFM); Mycosis (1; TRA); Nausea (f; JFM); Nephrosis
(f; DAD; DEP); Pain (f; DAD); Parasite (1; DAD); Pleurisy (f; JFM); Pulmonosis (f; IED);
Respirosis (f; IED); Salmonella (1; TRA); Scar (f; WO2); Snakebite (f; MPI); Sore (f; JLH; WO2);
Sore Throat (f; JFM; WO2); Stomachache (f; JFM); Stomatosis (f; DAD; JFM); Tonsilosis (f;
DAV); Tumor (1; TRA; WO2; JLH); Uterosis (f; JFM); Vomiting (f; JFM); Water Retention (f;
60P; IED; JFM); Worm (f; DAD); Wound (f; JFM); VD (f; DAV; JFM; MPI); Yeast (1; TRA).
Dosages (Annatto) — For diuretic activity, boil 9 seed pods in 3 cups of water for 10 minutes;
drink 1 cup before each meal (AAB); 10 g powdered seed/40 ml oil for topical pastes (TRA); 3
leaf/0.5 l water + red paste = female aphrodisiac (JFM).
Contraindications, Interactions, and Side Effects (Annatto) — Not covered (AHP; PH2). Seeds
contain a toxic alkaloid (JFM). Ingesting the tea for diabetes mellitus, may be contraindicated since
trans-bixin is hyperglycemic. Toxicity, if real, is “low grade,” especially in well-nourished experimental
animals. Toxicity commences in dogs given 60 mg/kg trans-bixin (DAD). Ethanolic seed

 

extracts active against Escherichia, Salmonella, and Staphylococcus; aqueous and chloroform
extracts hypoglycemic, but alcohol extract hyperglycemic (TRA). Root extracts hypotensive in rats
at 50 mg/kg, slowing gastric secretions at 400 mg/kg (TRA).

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