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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-valve 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.
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Chemical Constituent:
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.
Herbal Extract packing:
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