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This information is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your healthcare provider before using herbs, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medications, or have a medical condition.
Hymenaea courbaril contains bioactive compounds including terpenes, diterpenic acids, flavonoids, and tannins that contribute to its medicinal properties. The terpenes and diterpenic acids are believed to provide anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects, while flavonoids offer antioxidant activity. Tannins contribute astringent properties that may help soothe digestive complaints. The resin, known as copal, demonstrates antifungal activity in traditional applications. Evidence Level: C (preclinical data and traditional use support these mechanisms, though human clinical trials remain limited).
Does Hymenaea courbaril interact with any medications?
Hymenaea courbaril may interact with medications metabolized by the liver, as it is contraindicated for individuals with liver disease. The herb's effects on hepatic enzyme pathways have not been well-studied in humans (Evidence Level: D). Caution is advised when taking this herb alongside prescription medications, particularly those requiring hepatic metabolism such as statins, anticoagulants, or medications with narrow therapeutic windows. Patients should consult a healthcare provider before combining with pharmaceutical treatments.
What is the correct dosage for Hymenaea courbaril bark tea?
The traditional adult dosage for Hymenaea courbaril bark tea is 5-10 grams of dried bark, prepared as a decoction and taken twice daily (Evidence Level: C). To prepare, simmer the bark in water for 10-15 minutes. The resin is traditionally used as incense rather than for internal consumption in most applications. Dosage should be adjusted based on individual tolerance, and use should be discontinued if gastrointestinal upset occurs. Consult a qualified herbalist for personalized dosing guidance.
Is Hymenaea courbaril safe to take during pregnancy?
Hymenaea courbaril is considered unsafe during pregnancy and should be strictly avoided (Evidence Level: D). The herb contains bioactive compounds including terpenes and diterpenic acids that may stimulate uterine contractions or potentially affect fetal development. Traditional use guidelines explicitly contraindicate this herb for pregnant women. Women who are breastfeeding should also avoid Hymenaea courbaril due to insufficient safety data. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal remedies during pregnancy or while nursing.
What conditions does Hymenaea courbaril treat?
Hymenaea courbaril bark and resin are traditionally used in Brazilian folk medicine for respiratory conditions including cough and bronchitis, as well as digestive complaints (Evidence Level: C). The herb is also employed as an energy tonic and for its antifungal properties. Indigenous Amazonian and Caribbean populations have used the resin (copal) topically for wound healing and fungal skin infections. While these uses are well-documented in ethnobotanical literature, rigorous human clinical trials validating efficacy are currently lacking.
PubMed-compiled information sheet
This sheet was compiled from PubMed (NIH) abstracts using AI assistance. Every factual claim is cited to a real PubMed article (see the source list). It has not yet been human-reviewed — confirm with a healthcare provider before use.
Compiled from 30 PubMed articles · model: gemma4:31b
Summary
Hymenaea courbaril, commonly known as jatobá, is a South American native tree used traditionally for medicinal purposes and the production of edible fruits and durable wood [PMID:41417545].
Background
Hymenaea courbaril is a widespread polytypic species ranging from southern Mexico to southeastern Brazil [PMID:25009440]. It is a resin-producing tree native to Brazil with low nutritional and water requirements and the capacity to survive in contaminated environments, such as iron mine tailings [PMID:36104887].
Traditional uses
In Brazilian traditional medicine, products from this species are used to treat wounds, inflammations, bacterial infections, rheumatism, anemia, respiratory and gastric disorders, bronchitis, and prostate conditions [PMID:41417545]. It is also used to treat fatigue, pain, kidney problems, sore throat, asthma, cancer, diabetes, arthritis, and hepatic or skin conditions [PMID:40471668, PMID:23764737].
Active compounds
The species is rich in bioactive compounds including flavonoids, terpenes, phenols, and coumarins found in the leaves, fruits, bark, and resin [PMID:41417545]. Specific constituents include astilbin (a flavonoid) in the stem bark [PMID:37482814, PMID:23764737], procyanidins, quercetin derivatives, and taxifolin derivatives in pod residues [PMID:39599418], and xyloglucans in the seeds and leaves [PMID:25450047, PMID:11557087].
Mechanism of action
Xyloglucans from H. courbaril seeds have been shown to act as potent macrophage activators [PMID:20888807]. Hydroalcoholic stem bark extracts may protect against oxidative stress in C. elegans via DAF-2 and SKN-1 pathways [PMID:40471668].
Clinical evidence
Evidence DBacterial Infections/Biofilms
Leaf extracts showed biofilm inhibitory activity against S. aureus (78.29% and 78.85% inhibition) [PMID:37998803]. Seed extracts inhibited Pseudomonas aeruginosa and other pathogenic bacteria, with synergistic effects observed when combined with peel extracts [PMID:36330665].
Evidence DMuscle Spasms
The flavonoid astilbin isolated from stem bark demonstrated myorelaxant effects on rat tracheal smooth muscle [PMID:23764737].
Evidence DOxidative Stress
Stem bark hydroalcoholic extracts exhibited potent antioxidant activity (IC50 of 3.12 µg/ml) [PMID:37482814] and protected C. elegans against oxidative stress in vivo [PMID:40471668].
Safety & adverse effects
Low acute toxicity has been demonstrated in in vivo assays [PMID:41417545]. However, stem bark hydroalcoholic extracts decreased cell viability in L929 and MRC-5 cell lines at concentrations of 400 and 800 µg/ml [PMID:37482814]. In C. elegans, the LC50 was 15,076.99 µg/ml, with survival reducing to 82.8% after 72 hours at 1600 µg/ml [PMID:40471668].
Evidence summary
The current evidence is primarily based on in vitro assays, animal models (C. elegans, rats), and phytochemical reviews. There are no human clinical trials provided in the source material.
PubMed sources
1.PMID: 25450047 (2015) — Structure and rheological properties of a xyloglucan extracted from Hymenaea courbaril var. courbaril seeds. · International journal of biological macromolecules
2.PMID: 36104887 (2022) — Diazotrophic bacteria improve Hymenaea courbaril seedlings growth and survival in iron mine tailings. · Journal of environmental management
3.PMID: 41417545 (2026) — Chemical and Biological Properties of Hymenaea courbaril L.: A Review. · Chemistry & biodiversity
4.PMID: 37998803 (2023) — Evaluation of the Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, and Anti-Biofilm Effects of the Stem Bark, Leaf, and Seed Extracts from Hymenaea courbaril and Characterization by UPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS Analysis. · Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland)
5.PMID: 37482814 (2023) — Toxicological profile of the Hymenaea courbaril stem bark hydroalcoholic extract using in vitro bioassays and an alternative in vivo Caenorhabditis elegans model.
Government sources
No direct government monograph is available for this herb. The content below is AI-generated and has not been verified against an authoritative government source. Use the search links to check official sources before relying on this information.
· Journal of toxicology and environmental health. Part A
6.PMID: 39599418 (2024) — Jatoba (Hymenaea courbaril L.) Pod Residue: A Source of Phenolic Compounds as Valuable Biomolecules. · Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
8.PMID: 40471668 (2025) — Hymenaea courbaril hydroalcoholic extract protects in vivo against oxidative stress in Caenorhabditis elegans via DAF-2 and SKN-1. · Journal of toxicology and environmental health. Part A
9.PMID: 23764737 (2013) — Phytochemical study guided by the myorelaxant activity of the crude extract, fractions and constituent from stem bark of Hymenaea courbaril L. · Journal of ethnopharmacology
10.PMID: 36330665 (2024) — Extracts from jatobá (Hymenaea courbaril L.) peel and seeds: Antioxidant and antimicrobial activities and synergistic effect of extract combinations. · Food science and technology international = Ciencia y tecnologia de los alimentos internacional
11.PMID: 11557087 (2001) — Xyloglucan from the leaves of Hymenaea courbaril. · Phytochemistry
12.PMID: 25009440 (2014) — Morphological analyses suggest a new taxonomic circumscription for Hymenaea courbaril L. (Leguminosae, Caesalpinioideae). · PhytoKeys