Quassia

Scientific Name(s): Picrasma excelsa, Quassia amara L.
Common Name(s): Amara species, Amargo, Bitter wood, Jamaican quassia, Picrasma, Ruda, Surinam quassia, Surinam wood

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Mar 28, 2022.

Clinical Overview

Use

Quassia has a variety of suggested uses, including treatment for measles, diarrhea, fever, and lice. Quassia has antibacterial, antifungal, antifertility, antitumor, antileukemic, and insecticidal actions as well. However, efficacy in clinical trials has not been proven.

Dosing

Quassia wood has been used as a bitter tonic, with a typical oral dose of 500 mg. No studies have been performed to support this dose. Several recent studies of topical quassia tincture for head lice have been reported.

Contraindications

Contraindications have not yet been identified.

Pregnancy/Lactation

Documented adverse reactions. Avoid use.

Interactions

None well documented.

Adverse Reactions

Quassia is used in a number of food products and is considered safe by the FDA. If taken in large doses, this product can irritate the GI tract and cause vomiting. It is not recommended for pregnant women.

Toxicology

Quassia is listed as generally regarded as safe (GRAS) by the FDA. Parenteral administration of quassin is toxic, leading to cardiac irregularities, tremors, and paralysis.

Scientific Family

• Simaroubaceae

Botany

Surinam quassia is a 2 to 5 m tall shrub or small tree native to Argentina, Colombia, Guyana, and Panama. Jamaican quassia is a taller tree that reaches 25 m and is native to the Caribbean Islands, Jamaica, West Indies, and northern Venezuela. The leaves and pale yellow wood are used medicinally.Duke 1985, Newall 1996, Schulz 1998, USDA 2017

History

Quassia has been used for malaria in the Amazon region. It has been used topically for measles and orally or rectally for intestinal parasites, diarrhea, and fever. The plants have been used as anthelmintics and insecticides. Central Americans have been known to build boxes out of quassia wood, which acts as a natural insect repellent, to store clothing.Duke 1985, Kupchan 1976, Schulz 1998

Quassia has been used as an insecticide. Traditional use includes remedies for infestations of lice or worms, anorexia, and dyspepsia.Duke 1985 Certain tribes have used the plants to treat measles and fever, and as a mouthwash.Branch 1983, Duke 1994, Evans 1991

The extracts and purified mixtures of bitter principles ("quassin") have been used to give a bitter taste to various food products, especially alcoholic (eg, bitters, liqueurs) and nonalcoholic beverages, desserts, candy, baked goods, and puddings.Garcia Gonzalez 1997

Chemistry

Both quassia species have similar constituents. These include alkaloids (0.25%), such as canthin-6-one, 5-methoxycanthin-6-one, and carboline alkaloids. Terpenoids in 1 or both plants include isoquassin and mixtures of bitter principles (said to be 50 times more bitter than quinine), including quassin, neo-quassin, and 18-hydroxyquassin. Dihydronorneoquassin and simalikalactone D are also present. Other constituents include coumarins (Q. amara), thiamine (P. excelsa), beta-sitosterol, and beta-sitostenone.Duke 1985, Kupchan 1976, Newall 1996, Schulz 1998 From Q. amara, the quassi...