Tynanthus panurensis / Clavohuasca / Bignoniaceae (Bignonia family)

Information

This product is not sold or intended for the purpose of human consumption or cosmetic use. Any information provided about this product on this website, including any links to external websites, are solely intended for historical, scientific and educational purposes and must not be interpreted as a recommendation for a specific use of the product. The statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and the product is not intended to "diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease." The use and application of this product, based on the historical and scientific context provided in the product descriptions and articles, is solely at the customer's risk. This product is a botanical specimen of ethnographic value and interest only and is delivered with no express or implied fitness for any purpose. The product descriptions are compiled from sources we deemed to be reliable up to the date it was written but may contain omissions or errors in fact, or become outdated. It outlines the documented history of uses but should no way be construed to make any medical claims about the ability or efficacy of any of these plants to treat, prevent or mitigate any disease or condition. Although a plant may have a long history of being used for a particular purpose, scientific evidence proving its efficacy for that purpose may be lacking.

Description

Clavohuasca is a forest liana vine in the same botanical family as the legendary Ayahuasca (Banisteriopsis caapi). The name means "Clove vine" and refers to the rich clove-like scent of the trunk and leaves. Sections of the trunk and stems are macerated in "Aguardiente" (sugar cane liquor). It contains the clove-scented chemical Eugenol. It is a fundamental component of the famed Amazonian tonics "Siete Raices" (Seven roots) and "Veinti uno Raices" (Twenty-one roots).
Clavohuasca is commonly sold in the Belén medicinal market in Iquitos, Perú. It is easily recognized by the "maltese cross" design in the cross section of the vine sections.(3)

Scent

The vine bark has a stong distinctive clove-like aroma, earning its common name, Clove Vine.

Contents

Alkaloids, Eugenol, Essential Oils, Tannins, Tinantina, Tannic Acids.(2)
There is no published clinical studies as yet on Clavo huasca. Preliminary phytochemical analysis by Brazilian scientists have discovered an alkaloid they named "Tinantina" as well as tannic acids, eugenol and other essential oils.

Historical

Clavo huasca is used in Peruvian and Brazilian herbal medicine. It is an ingredient in two famous formulas which are widely sold in the herbal markets and stores in Peru: one called Siete raices (Seven Roots) and the other is Rompe Calzon (Bust your Britches). Clavo huasca is traditionally prepared by macerating the vine bark and wood in alcohol or most commonly, the local sugar cane rum called "Aguardiente". It is also used as an adjunctive ingredient in various ayahuasca recipes (or taken shortly after taking the concoction) to settle the stomach. (2)

Plant Description

Clavo huasca is a large woody vine that grows up to 80 meters in length which is indigenous to the Amazon rainforest and other parts of tropical South America.

References

(1) Tim Woodruff, 1995, RHP ETHNOBOTANICAL DICTIONARY
(2) Clavo Huasca, Raintree Plant Database
(3) Clavo Huasca, Ethnobotany of the Peruvian Amazon, Biopark.org