| Scientific Name |
Cecropia obtusifolia Bertol. |
| Photo link |
http://www.ringneckdove.com/Wilmer's%20WebPage/hawaii/cecropia.jpg |
| Studies on Diabetes |
A study of 12 plants commonly used in Mexico for diabetes show Cecropia had a stronger effect on the area under a glucose tolerance curve in rabbits (18.9%) than Tolbutamide (14.3%) and Tecoma (17.5%), but less than Psacalium (27.9) and Opuntia (21.4) (Roman-Ramos et al 1991). |
| Other Uses |
Antiinflammatory, analgesic, muscle relaxant, sedative (Pérez-Guerrero et al 2001). |
| Formulations used by Informants |
Commercially prepared hot infusion (Diabetil). |
| Phytochemistry |
Ambain, arachidic acid, behenic acid, cecropin, cerotic acid, chlorogenic acid, isoorientin, leucocanidin, lignoceric acid, polysaccharides, proanthocyanidins, steraric acid, ursolinic acid (Taylor 2003). |
| Potential Adverse Effects |
May cause uterine contractions, lower blood pressure and stimulate cardiac activity (Taylor 2003). |
| Potential Medication Interactions |
Diabetic medications, possibly cardiovascular medications possibly hypertensive medications (Taylor 2003). |
| References |
http://www.itis.usda.gov/index.html |
