Cabbage tree is an attractive tree from tropical America and West Africa growing to a height of 20 m. The leaves are compound and alternately arranged along the branches. The tree produces pink to purple flowers in dense terminal bunches which are highly fragrant. It also produces a small roundish fruit which contain a single large seed. Cabbage tree is a popular ornamental tree in the tropical countries where it grows; for the shade it provides and for the attractive fragrant flowers. Cabbage tree is native to most of the tropics including Mexico, Central America, the Carribbean, the Amazon, South America, and the tropical regions of West Africa. In the Amazon it can be found growing wild in the forests in the states of Acre, Amapa, Amazonas, Mato Grosso, and Para.

TRIBAL AND HERBAL MEDICINE USES

Cabbage tree produces a smooth grey bark which has been used in herbal medicine systems as a strong purgative to expel intestinal worms. It is treated with much respect by the rainforest shamans and herbal healers as a very powerful medicine since too large of a dose causes vomiting, fever, delirium, and even death. Some Indian tribes in the Amazon use the bark to kill fish in the river. Other tribes prepare a bark decoction to use for ring worm and other fungal infections on the skin.

Due to its well documented toxicity, it is not recommended to be used in modern herbal medicine practices today.

PLANT CHEMICALS

Some of the active compounds found in cabbage tree bark or root include: andirine, andinermal A, B and C, andirol A and B, biochanin A, berberine, calycosin, demethyopterocarpin, formononetin, genistein, geoffroyine, inermin, N-methyltyrosine, pratensein, prunetin, pterocarpans and taxifolin-3-O-(3"-O-trans-cinnamoyl)-alpha-L-rhamnopyranoside.