Achiote
Bixa orellana · Accepted scientific name
Scientific literature: Very Extensive (462 studies) · ★★★★★
Achiote, scientifically known as Bixa orellana, is a versatile tropical shrub celebrated for its vibrant, pigment-rich seeds. Beyond its use as a natural food coloring, it holds significant medicinal value in traditional practices, offering antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties that support skin health and overall wellness.
Names
Common Names
- Roucu
- Rucu
- arnatto
- Arnotta
Regional and Traditional Names
Spanish:
- Yrucu
- Bixa urucurana
- Yrucú
- Orellana americana var leiocarpa
- Achiotl
- Orellana americana var. leiocarpa
- Bija
- Bixa odorata
- Achote
- Urucu
- Bixa tinctoria
- Bixa platycarpa
- urucú
- urucum
- achicote
- achiote
- annato
- bija
- achiotillo
German:
- Annattostrauch
- Urucú
- Urucum
- Orleansstrauch
- Achiote
- Orleanstrauch
- Annatostrauch
- Rukustrauch
- Anattostrauch
- Annattostrauch
French:
- Roucou
- Annatto
- Rocou
- Urucum
- Achiote
- arbre à rouge à lèvre
- roucou
- atole
- roucou
- roucouyer
- Arbre rouge à lèvres
- Létchi fleur
- arbre à rouge à lèvre
Scientific Names
Accepted name
Bixa orellanaSynonyms
- Bixa americana
- Orellana americana
- Bixa katangensis
- Orellana americana var. leiocarpa
- Bixa odorata
- Bixa orellana var. leiocarpa
- Bixa purpurea
- Bixa upatensis
- Bixa orellana f. leiocarpa
Taxonomical Classification
This plant, Bixa orellana, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, it is classified under the order Malvales. Finally, it is a member of the family Bixaceae and the genus Bixa.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Malvales | WCVP |
| Family | Bixaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Bixa | WCVP |
Distribution
This plant, known as Bixa orellana, exhibits a specific geographical distribution throughout the West Tropical Africa region. Within this part of the continent, it can be found growing in the country of Benin. Its presence extends further across the landscape to include the nation of Burkina. Additionally, the plant is distributed through Ghana and the coastal territory of Guinea-Bissau. Finally, its range encompasses the territory of Guinea, marking its spread across these diverse West African nations.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| West Tropical Africa | Benin | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Burkina | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Ghana | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Guinea-Bissau | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Guinea | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Liberia | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Nigeria | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Sierra Leone | WCVP |
| West-Central Tropical Africa | Central African Republic | WCVP |
| West-Central Tropical Africa | Congo | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, commonly known as achiote, utilizes various components for medicinal and culinary purposes. The vibrant red color prized in many cultures is derived directly from the seeds, which are housed within the protective inside of the pods. Beyond the fruit, the leaves serve as important medicinal resources, with the individual leaf often prepared in infusions to treat ailments. Even the smaller structures, such as the twigs and the broader foliage of the leaves, can be integrated into traditional healing practices to harness the full botanical potential of the species.| Plant Part | Sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| leaf | Brazilian journal of medical and biological research = Revista brasileira de pesquisas medicas e biologicas (and other 8 sources) | ★★★★☆ |
| seed | Tropical and geographical medicine (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| fruit | Carbohydrate research (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Bixa orellana has 65 reported phytochemicals identified across 11 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Bixin, ellagic acid, Apigenin 7-glucoside, Ash, CALCIUM.
| Chemical | Supporting sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| Bixin | 2 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| ellagic acid | 2 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Apigenin 7-glucoside | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Ash | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| CALCIUM | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Crocetin | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Cryptoxanthin | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Cyanidin | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| EO | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| FAT | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Bixin
- Dr. Duke
- Journal of AOAC International
ellagic acid
- Dr. Duke
- Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie
Apigenin 7-glucoside
- Dr. Duke
Ash
- Dr. Duke
CALCIUM
- Dr. Duke
Crocetin
- Dr. Duke
Cryptoxanthin
- Dr. Duke
Cyanidin
- Dr. Duke
EO
- Dr. Duke
FAT
- Dr. Duke
Activities
Bixa orellana has 344 reported activities identified across 11 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Analgesic, Antibacterial, Antifungal, Antioxidant, Hypoglycemic.
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| Analgesic | Dr. Duke (and other 3 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Antibacterial | Dr. Duke (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antifungal | Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antioxidant | Dr. Duke (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Hypoglycemic | Dr. Duke (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 5-Alpha-Reductase-Inhibitor | Dr. Duke (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| ACE-Inhibitor | Dr. Duke (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Abortifacient | Dr. Duke (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Acidulant | Dr. Duke (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Aldose-Reductase-Inhibitor | Dr. Duke (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Bixa orellana has 19 reported medicinal uses identified across 11 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include inflammation, Dyslipidemia, MCF-7 cells, Plasmodium falciparum, allodynia.
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| inflammation | Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Dyslipidemia | Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| MCF-7 cells | Heliyon (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Plasmodium falciparum | Revista cubana de medicina tropical (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| allodynia | Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| chronic diseases | Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| diabetes mellitus | Methods and findings in experimental and clinical pharmacology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| diarrhea | Gastroenterology research and practice (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| gonorrhea | Phytotherapy research : PTR (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| hyperlipidemia | Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Preparations
| Preparations | Sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| Annatto Oil | Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Its Granules (Chronic®) | Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| MPS extract of leaves | Journal of food biochemistry (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| aqueous extract of hydroethanolic extract | Gastroenterology research and practice (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| ethanol precipitated mucilage concentrates of leaf | Journal of food biochemistry (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| ethanolic extracts of the leaves and branches | Brazilian journal of medical and biological research = Revista brasileira de pesquisas medicas e biologicas (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| extracts | Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| fruit shell | Carbohydrate research (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| hydroethanolic extract | Gastroenterology research and practice (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| leaves | Heliyon (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |