Paullinia cupana
Guarana plant
Paullinia cupana, commonly known as guarana, is a tropical climbing plant native to the Amazon rainforest. Renowned for its high caffeine content, its seeds are widely utilized in energy drinks and dietary supplements. This potent botanical offers significant stimulant properties, supporting cognitive function, metabolic boost, and increased physical endurance.
- Scientific name: Paullinia cupana
- Family: Sapindaceae
- Native range: Southern America
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Sapindales, it is classified under the family Sapindaceae and the genus Paullinia.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Sapindales | WCVP |
| Family | Sapindaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Paullinia | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, Paullinia cupana, is widely recognized across various Chinese-speaking regions by its common names. In Simplified Chinese, it is known as 瓜拿纳 (zh-hans) and 瓜拿纳 (zh-cn), while in Traditional Chinese, it is referred to as 瓜拿納 (zh-hant). Specifically, in Hong Kong, it is called 瓜拿納 (zh-hk), and in Singapore, it is commonly known as 瓜拿纳 (zh-sg).| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| zh-hans | 瓜拿纳 | Wikidata |
| zh-hant | 瓜拿納 | Wikidata |
| zh-hk | 瓜拿納 | Wikidata |
| zh-cn | 瓜拿纳 | Wikidata |
| zh-sg | 瓜拿纳 | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 瓜拿納 | Wikidata |
| pl | Guarana | Wikidata |
| bs | Guarana | Wikidata |
| he | גוארנה | Wikidata |
| ko | 과라나 | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant is native to several regions across the South American continent. In Northern South America, its natural habitat includes Guyana and Venezuela. Moving toward the western part of the continent, it is widely distributed throughout Colombia. Its presence extends further south into the territory of Ecuador. Finally, the geographical range of this species reaches as far as Peru.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Northern South America | Guyana | WCVP |
| Northern South America | Venezuela | WCVP |
| Western South America | Colombia | WCVP |
| Western South America | Ecuador | WCVP |
| Western South America | Peru | WCVP |
| Brazil | Brazil North | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, known scientifically as Paullinia cupana, is a climbing vine where various components hold different significance. The most vital part for medicinal and commercial use is the guarana seed, which is harvested for its high concentration of caffeine and antioxidants. These individual seeds are typically extracted from the fruit and processed to create energy-boosting extracts. While the leaves and roots are sometimes studied, the woody branch serves as the essential structural support for the vine as it climbs through the rainforest canopy to reach sunlight.- Total parts
- 3
- Scientific sources
- 3
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| seeds | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| guarana seed | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| branch | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Paullinia cupana has 19 reported phytochemicals identified across 27 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include caffeine, catechins, tannins, theobromine, (+)-catechin.
- Total chemicals
- 19
- Scientific sources
- 27
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| caffeine | 6 | ★★★☆☆ |
| catechins | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| tannins | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| theobromine | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| (+)-catechin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| (-)-epicatechin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| cadmium | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| catechin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| epicatechin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| flavonoid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Paullinia cupana has 8 reported activities identified across 8 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Aphrodisiac, Genoprotective, Genotoxic, Hepatoprotective, Mutagenic.
- Total activities
- 8
- Scientific sources
- 8
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Aphrodisiac | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Genoprotective | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Genotoxic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Hepatoprotective | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Mutagenic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Nootropic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Stimulant | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Tonic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Paullinia cupana has 7 reported medicinal uses identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include DNA damage, attention, cognitive disorders, fatigue, lipid peroxidation.
- Total uses
- 7
- Scientific sources
- 7
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| DNA damage | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| attention | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| cognitive disorders | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| fatigue | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| lipid peroxidation | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| obesity | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| weight gain | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |