Botanical Name : Bixa orellana
Sanskrit name : Sinduri
English Name: Annatto
Family:    Bixaceae          

Part Used: Seeds, Leaves, Bark, Roots, Shoots         

Description of Bixa orellana:
Achiote (Bixa orellana) is a shrub or small tree from the tropical region of the American continent.The name derives from the Nahuatl word for the shrub, achiotl. It is also known as Aploppas, and its original Tupi name urucu. It is cultivated there and in Southeast Asia The inedible fruit is harvested for its seeds, which contain annatto, also called bixin. orellana L. is a shrub or bushy tree which ranges from 3 to 10 meters in height.  Its glossy, ovate leaves are evergreen with reddish veins; flowers are pink, white, or some combination, and are 4 to 6 cm in diameter.  From the flower protrudes a striking two-valved fruit, covered either with dense soft bristles or a smooth surface. These round fruits, approximately 4 cm wide, appear in a variety of colors: scarlet, yellow, brownish-green, maroon, and most commonly bright red.

Analysis of annatto seeds indicates that they contain cellulose, sucrose, essential oil, fixed oil, pigments, and protein, as well as alpha- and beta-carotenoids and other constituents. Annatto oil is extracted from the seeds and is the main source of pigments named bixin and norbixin, which are classified as carotenoids. Bixin, extracted and used as a food colorant, has been shown to protect against ultraviolet rays and to have antioxidant and liver protective properties in clinical research.

In addition to bixin and norbixin, annatto contains bixaghanene, bixein, bixol, crocetin, ellagic acid, ishwarane, isobixin, phenylalanine, salicylic acid, threonine, tomentosic acid, and tryptophan.

Uses:

Bixa orellana help to reduce acid, kills bacteria, fights free radicals, kills parasites, kills germs, increases urination, stimulates digestion, lowers blood pressure, mildly laxative, protects liver.

Disclaimer:
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