PLANT
IMAGES
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Family: Burseraceae
Genus: Bursera
Species: simaruba
Common Name: Gumbolimbo, gumbo-limbo, West Indian birch, tourist tree, turpentine tree, gommier blanc, chaca, palo chino, palo mulato, palo jiote, carate, carana, Indio desnudo, almacigo, almacigo blanco, almacigo colorado, bois d'encens, chique, fragon caranne, gommier blanc, gommier rouge, jobo
Part Used: Bark
| GUMBOLIMBO |
| HERBAL PROPERTIES AND ACTIONS |
| Main Actions |
Other Actions |
Standard Dosage |
| reduces inflammation |
increases libido |
Bark |
| kills bacteria |
cleanses blood |
Decoction: 1 cup 2-3 times daily |
| relieves pain |
increases perspiration |
Tincture: 2-3 ml 2-3 times daily |
| blood coagulant |
heals wounds |
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| increases urination |
neutralizes venom |
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| expectorates |
reduces fever |
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Gumbolimbo is a large tree up to 25 meters in height with red shaggy bark that peels off in paper thin strips. Its leaves are 5-12 cm long and the tree produces small round fuits about 8 mm long. The tree is also found in southern Florida, the West Indies, southern Mexico, Central America, and northern South America. In South Florida, gumbolimbo has been called the tourist tree because of its red, flaking skin.
TRIBAL AND HERBAL MEDICINE USES
Rosita Arvigo reports that the bark is a common topical remedy in Belize for skin affections like skin
sores, measles, sunburn, insect bites and rashes. A bark decoction is also taken internally for urinary tract infections, pain, colds, flu, sun stroke, fevers and to purify the blood. A strip of bark about 4 -5 cm x 30 cm is boiled in a gallon of water for 10 minutes for this local remedy and then used topically or drunk as a tea. The resins have been used as a blood coagulant (thickener).
PLANT CHEMICALS
A full chemical analysis of gumbolimbo has not been conducted as yet.
BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITIES AND CLINICAL RESEARCH
Researchers have reported in various studies that gumbolimbo bark has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antivenin actions.
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WORLDWIDE ETHNOMEDICAL USES
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| Bahamas |
for aches(back), debility, hunger, impotency, rashes, strains; as an aphrodisiac |
| Belize |
for colds, blood cleansing, fevers, flu, insect bites, measles, rashes, skin sores, sun stroke, sunburn, urinary tract infections |
| Dominican Republic |
for cystitis, intestinal problems, nephritis |
| Guatemala |
for aches(stomach), bite(snake), gangrene |
| Haiti |
as an antiseptic diuretic, insect repellant; for calculus, diarrhea, nephritis
Sore, Vulnerary |
| Mexico |
for asthma, bite(snake), colic, dropsy, dysentery, enterorrhagia, fevers, stomachaches, swelling, venereal diseases, yellow fever; as an diaphoretic, diuretic, expectorant, purgative |
| Peru |
as an analgesic, blood purifier, diaphoretic, expectorant, insecticide; for rheumatism |
| Venezuela |
for cancer(stomach), corns, debility, hernia, rheumatism |
| Elsewhere |
for aches(stomach), muscle fatigue, obesity, renitis, rheumatism, tumors, venereal diseases, wounds |
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