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Guarana
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Guarana
Where To Found It: Brazil, Uruguay.
This climbing shrub took the name of its genus from C. F. Paullini,
a German medical botanist who died 1712. It has divided compound
leaves, flowers yellow panicles, fruit pear shaped, three sided,
three-celled capsules, with thin partitions, in each a seed like
a small horse-chestnut half enclosed in an aril, flesh coloured
and easily separated when dried. The seeds of Paullinia Sorbilis
are often used or mixed with those of P. Cupana. Guarana
is only made by the Guaranis, a tribe of South American Indians.
(Note: Marcos Garcia, Embrapa-CPAA, Manaus Amazonas, Brazil, also
points out "The origin habitat of Guarana is the Amazon Region.
But actually it is cultivated in others locations at Southest of
Brazil." - editor HTML version - A MODERN HERBAL)
After the seeds are shelled and washed they are roasted for six
hours, then put into sacks and shaken till their outside shell comes
off, they are then pounded into a fine powder and made into a dough
with water, and rolled into cylindrical pieces 8 inches long; these
are then dried in the sun or over a slow fire, till they became
very hard and are then a rough and reddish-brown colour, marbled
with the seeds and testa in the mass. They break with an irregular
fracture, have little smell, taste astringent, and bitter like chocolate
without its oiliness, and in colour like chocolate powder; it swells
up and partially dissolves in water.
A crystallizable principle, called guaranine, identical with caffeine,
which exists in the seeds, united with tannic acid, catechutannic
acid starch, and a greenish fixed oil.
Modern Uses: Nervine, tonic, slightly
narcotic stimulant, aphrodisiac febrifuge. A beverage is made from
the guaran sticks, by grating half a tablespoonful into sugar and
water and drinking it like tea. The Brazilian miners drink this
constantly and believe it to be a preventive of many diseases, as
well as a most refreshing beverage. Their habit in travelling is
to carry the stick or a lump of it in their pockets, with a palate
bone or scale of a large fish with which to grate it. P. Cupana
is also a favourite national diet drink, the seeds are mixed with
Cassava and water, and left to ferment until almost putrid, and
in this state it is the favourite drink of the Orinoco Indians.
From the tannin it contains it is useful for mild forms of leucorrhoea,
diarrhoea, etc., but its chief use in Europe and America is for
headache, especially if of a rheumatic nature. It is a gentle excitant
and serviceable where the brain is irritated or depressed by mental
exertion, or where there is fatigue or exhaustion from hot weather.
It has the same chemical composition as caffeine, theine and cocaine,
and the same physiological action. Its benefit is for nervous headache
or the distress that accompanies menstruation, or exhaustion following
dissipation. It is not recommended for chronic headache or in cases
where it is not desirable to increase the temperature, or excite
the heart or increase arterial tension. Dysuria often follows its
administration. It is used by the Indians for bowel complaints,
but is not indicated in cases of constipation or blood pressure.
Other Names: Paullinia. Guarana Bread.
Brazilian Cocoa. Uabano. Uaranzeiro. Paullinia Sorbilis.
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