Croton lechleri
Müll.Arg.
Euphorbiaceae
Croton draco cordatus Müll.Arg.
Oxydectes lechleri (Müll.Arg.) Kuntze
Common Name: Sangre De Grado
Flowers, leaves and trunk
Photograph by: Dick Culbert
Creative Commons Attribution 2.0
Flowers, leaves and trunk
Photograph by: Dick Culbert
Creative Commons Attribution 2.0
Red resin seeping from a wound in the trunk
Photograph by: por natikka
Creative Commons Attribution 2.5
General Information
Sangre de grado is a tree with a broad but open crown, that grows from 10- 20 metres tall. The bole is usually less than 30cm in diameter. When the trunk of the tree is cut or wounded, a dark red, sappy resin oozes out as if the tree is bleeding[
318- Title
- Raintree Nutrition - Tropical Plant Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.rain-tree.com/plants.htm
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Detailed information on the medicinal uses of more than two hundred rainforest plants, mainly from S. America, with basic descriptions of the plants, their other uses etc.
,
].
The sap is a popular and effective herbal treatment, and so it is commonly harvested from the wild for both local use and for trade.
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
434- Title
- Flora of Peru
- Publication
-
- Author
- Macbride. J.F.
- Publisher
- Field Museum of Natural History
- Year
- 1936
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent attempt at a Flora of Peru, though it is clear that many of the plants were imperfectly known at that time and so information on them was sketchy. Available for download from the Internet.
Range
S. America - Peru, Ecuador, Colombia.
Habitat
Secondary forest.
Properties
Medicinal Rating |     |
Habit | Tree |
Height | 12.00 m |
Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
Grows best in a well-drained, fertile soil[
].
A fast-growing tree[
].
Edible Uses
None known
Medicinal
Sangre de grado is a common name for several trees in the genus Croton - all have a red sap and can be used interchangeably. The red sap or latex (and also its bark) has a long history of indigenous use in the rainforest and in South America. The curative power of the sap was widely known throughout the indigenous tribes of Mexico, Peru, and Ecuador. Modern research has shown that it is a very effective treatment for a wide range of injuries and disorders, particularly relating to the skin; both internal and external ulcers; is an effective antiviral and also helps in the treatment of tumours[
318- Title
- Raintree Nutrition - Tropical Plant Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.rain-tree.com/plants.htm
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Detailed information on the medicinal uses of more than two hundred rainforest plants, mainly from S. America, with basic descriptions of the plants, their other uses etc.
].
The resin or sap is a storehouse of phytochemicals including proanthocyanidins (antioxidants), simple phenols, diterpenes, phytosterols, and biologically active alkaloids and lignans Scientists have attributed many of the biologically active properties of the sap (especially its wound-healing capacity) to two main 'active' constituents: an alkaloid named taspine, and a lignan named dimethylcedrusine[
318- Title
- Raintree Nutrition - Tropical Plant Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.rain-tree.com/plants.htm
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Detailed information on the medicinal uses of more than two hundred rainforest plants, mainly from S. America, with basic descriptions of the plants, their other uses etc.
].
Taspine has been shown to have anti-inflammatory, antitumor and antiviral actions, and to be active against the herpes virus[
318- Title
- Raintree Nutrition - Tropical Plant Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.rain-tree.com/plants.htm
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Detailed information on the medicinal uses of more than two hundred rainforest plants, mainly from S. America, with basic descriptions of the plants, their other uses etc.
].
The lignan ‘dimethylcedrusine’ has been shown to play a central role in the resin’s effective wound-healing action. The study revealed that the crude resin stimulated contraction of wounds, helped in the formation of a crust/scab at the wound site, regenerated skin more rapidly, and assisted in the formation of new collagen[
318- Title
- Raintree Nutrition - Tropical Plant Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.rain-tree.com/plants.htm
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Detailed information on the medicinal uses of more than two hundred rainforest plants, mainly from S. America, with basic descriptions of the plants, their other uses etc.
].
Other phytochemicals, including phenolic compounds, proanthocyanadins, and diterpenes, have shown potent antibacterial activity (against E. Coli and Bacillus subtilis) as well as wound-healing properties[
318- Title
- Raintree Nutrition - Tropical Plant Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.rain-tree.com/plants.htm
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Detailed information on the medicinal uses of more than two hundred rainforest plants, mainly from S. America, with basic descriptions of the plants, their other uses etc.
]. Research has shown that the resin is a potent, cost-effective treatment for gastrointestinal ulcers and distress via antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and sensory afferent-dependent actions[
318- Title
- Raintree Nutrition - Tropical Plant Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.rain-tree.com/plants.htm
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Detailed information on the medicinal uses of more than two hundred rainforest plants, mainly from S. America, with basic descriptions of the plants, their other uses etc.
].
The resin has also shown an in vitro effect against stomach cancer and colon cancer cells[
318- Title
- Raintree Nutrition - Tropical Plant Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.rain-tree.com/plants.htm
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Detailed information on the medicinal uses of more than two hundred rainforest plants, mainly from S. America, with basic descriptions of the plants, their other uses etc.
]. It inhibits the growth of a human myelogenous leukaemia cell line and also prevents cells from mutating in test tube studies[
318- Title
- Raintree Nutrition - Tropical Plant Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.rain-tree.com/plants.htm
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Detailed information on the medicinal uses of more than two hundred rainforest plants, mainly from S. America, with basic descriptions of the plants, their other uses etc.
].
The sap is antibacterial, antifungal, antiinflammatory, antimicrobial, antipruritic, antitumor, haemostatic and vulnerary[
318- Title
- Raintree Nutrition - Tropical Plant Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.rain-tree.com/plants.htm
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Detailed information on the medicinal uses of more than two hundred rainforest plants, mainly from S. America, with basic descriptions of the plants, their other uses etc.
]. It is used internally in the treatment of intestinal and stomach ulcers; upper respiratory viruses; stomach viruses; and HIV[
318- Title
- Raintree Nutrition - Tropical Plant Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.rain-tree.com/plants.htm
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Detailed information on the medicinal uses of more than two hundred rainforest plants, mainly from S. America, with basic descriptions of the plants, their other uses etc.
,
]. For internal use, the traditional remedy is 10 - 15 drops in a small amount of liquid, taken 1-3 times daily (be prepared, however; it tastes quite dreadful)[
318- Title
- Raintree Nutrition - Tropical Plant Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.rain-tree.com/plants.htm
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Detailed information on the medicinal uses of more than two hundred rainforest plants, mainly from S. America, with basic descriptions of the plants, their other uses etc.
].
It is taken as a douche for relieving vaginal discharge[
318- Title
- Raintree Nutrition - Tropical Plant Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.rain-tree.com/plants.htm
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Detailed information on the medicinal uses of more than two hundred rainforest plants, mainly from S. America, with basic descriptions of the plants, their other uses etc.
].
The sap is painted on wounds to staunch bleeding, to accelerate healing, and to seal and protect injuries from infection. The sap dries quickly and forms a barrier, much like a ‘second skin’. It is used as a treatment on wounds, insect bites and stings, skin disorders, fractures, and haemorrhoids., Other uses include treating inflamed or infected gums, in vaginal baths before and after childbirth, for haemorrhaging after childbirth, and for a wide range of skin disorders[
318- Title
- Raintree Nutrition - Tropical Plant Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.rain-tree.com/plants.htm
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Detailed information on the medicinal uses of more than two hundred rainforest plants, mainly from S. America, with basic descriptions of the plants, their other uses etc.
,
].
For external use, the resin is rubbed directly on the affected area several times daily and allowed to dry. Please note: the resin is red! It will temporarily stain the skin a reddish-brown (which will wash off), but it will permanently stain clothing. Rubbing the resin in the palm of the hand first or directly where applied will thicken the resin into a thin, lighter coloured paste, which helps form a second skin on top of a wound or rash and reduces staining[
318- Title
- Raintree Nutrition - Tropical Plant Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.rain-tree.com/plants.htm
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Detailed information on the medicinal uses of more than two hundred rainforest plants, mainly from S. America, with basic descriptions of the plants, their other uses etc.
].
Agroforestry Uses:
The tree has an open, though broad crown. It intercrops well with smaller trees[
].
Other Uses
None known
Propagation
Seed -
Seedlings are very delicate and frequently die or succumb to grasshoppers in the wild[
].
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