This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
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.
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
Tlapalezpatli (Hamelia patens), also known as firebush, is a tropical shrub of the Rubiaceae family used in traditional medicine for its antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antihyperglycemic properties [PMID:32227313, PMID:40699995].
Background
Hamelia patens is a medicinal bush widely distributed in tropical and sub-tropical areas of the American continent [PMID:15467206, PMID:32227313]. It belongs to the Rubiaceae family [PMID:32227313].
Traditional uses
Used in folk medicine for athlete's foot, skin problems, insect stings, psychiatric disorders, rheumatism, headache, asthma, dysentery, menses, ovarian and uterine disorders [PMID:32227313], as well as for treating wounds [PMID:12963138, PMID:26731099], inflammation [PMID:27005511], diabetes [PMID:26731099, PMID:30713569], and to stop bleeding from wounds among the Popoluca of Mexico [PMID:11804396].
Active compounds
Bioactive constituents include oxindole alkaloids (such as (-)-hameline, tetrahydroalstonine, aricine, pteropodine, isopteropodine, uncarine F, speciophylline, palmirine, and rumberine) [PMID:23285803, PMID:32227313], flavonoids, phenolic compounds (specifically epicatechin and chlorogenic acid) [PMID:29246664, PMID:30224932, PMID:32227313], and terpenes [PMID:39852365].
Mechanism of action
Methanol extracts containing oxindole alkaloids have been shown to relax KCl-induced contraction in rat myometrium [PMID:15467206]. Chlorogenic acid and epicatechin are associated with anti-hyperglycemic and antioxidant activities [PMID:32227313, PMID:30224932].
Clinical evidence
Evidence DHyperglycemia
Repeated administration of crude and fractional methanolic extracts in streptozotocin-induced hyperglycemic rats lowered blood glucose to normal levels, showing effects similar to metformin [PMID:30224932].
Evidence DWound Healing
In a double incision bioassay, 5% and 10% ointments showed a significant difference in breaking strength compared to controls by day 12 [PMID:12963138].
Evidence DBacterial Infection
Leaf extracts showed antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhi, and S. paratyphi [PMID:29246664].
Evidence DCervical Cancer (HeLa cells)
Root bark extract exhibited high cytotoxic activity on HeLa cells with a CC50 of 13 microg/mL [PMID:19071205].
The evidence consists primarily of in vitro studies, animal models (rats), and ethnopharmacological reviews. There are no human clinical trials or meta-analyses provided; therefore, the overall strength of evidence is low (Level D).
PubMed sources
1.PMID: 32227313 (2020) — A Phytochemical and Ethnopharmacological Recapitulation on Hamelia patens. · Drug research
2.PMID: 29246664 (2018) — Phenolic content and antibacterial activity of extracts of Hamelia patens obtained by different extraction methods. · Brazilian journal of microbiology : [publication of the Brazilian Society for Microbiology]
3.PMID: 15467206 (2004) — Methanol extracts of Hamelia patens containing oxindole alkaloids relax KCl-induced contraction in rat myometrium. · Biological & pharmaceutical bulletin
4.PMID: 12963138 (2003) — Double incision wound healing bioassay using Hamelia patens from El Salvador. · Journal of ethnopharmacology
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.
Butanol extracts showed hepatoprotective activity against CCl(4)-induced damage in HepG2 cells [PMID:27005511].
— Antioxidant and hepatoprotective activity of Hamelia patens extracts.
· Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences
6.PMID: 26731099 (2016) — Anti-inflammatory, free radical scavenging and alpha-glucosidase inhibitory activities of Hamelia patens and its chemical constituents. · Pharmaceutical biology
7.PMID: 39852365 (2025) — Comparison of Secondary Metabolite Extraction Methods in Hamelia patens Jacq. and Their Inhibitory Effect on Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. radicis-lycopersici. · Metabolites
8.PMID: 40699995 (2026) — Traditional Aqueous and Ethanol Maceration of Hamelia patens Leaves: A Phytochemical and Pharmacological Exploration. · Annals of African medicine
9.PMID: 11804396 (2001) — Ethnopharmacology of the Popoluca, Mexico: an evaluation. · The Journal of pharmacy and pharmacology
10.PMID: 23285803 (2012) — A new monoterpenoid oxindole alkaloid from Hamelia patens micropropagated plantlets. · Natural product communications
11.PMID: 30224932 (2018) — "Diabetes and Metabolism Disorders Medicinal Plants: A Glance at the Past and a Look to the Future 2018": Antihyperglycemic Activity of Hamelia patens Jacq. Extracts. · Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM
12.PMID: 30713569 (2019) — Hypoglycemic Activity of Medicinal Plants Used among the Cakchiquels in Guatemala for the Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes. · Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM
13.PMID: 19071205 (2009) — In vitro cytotoxic activity of nine plants used in Mayan traditional medicine. · Journal of ethnopharmacology
14.PMID: 36239484 (2023) — Screening of medicinal plants from El Salvador for anti-viral activity against Herpes simplex 1. · Natural product research