Anamú is an undergrowth which, if consumed by cows, produces a taste of garlic in milk. This plant has caused much interest in countries others than in the Amazon area, due to its possible anti-tumor effects. In the United States a foundation to study the plant was established, with the purpose of studying this plant clinical aspects: “The Anamú Foundation of America Inc”. There is some significant information on cases of healing of cancer and leukaemia by using Anamú.

1 : Phytochemistry . 2003 May ;63 (1):37-40.
The lachrymatory principle of Petiveria alliacea .

Kubec R, Kim S, Musah RA.
Department of Chemistry, State University of New York at Albany , Albany , NY 12222 , USA

2: Chemotherapy. 2002 Jul ;48 (3):144-7.
Antiviral activity of Petiveria alliacea against the bovine viral diarrhea virus.

Ruffa MJ, Perusina M, Alfonso V, Wagner ML, Suriano M, Vicente C, Campos R.
Catedra de Virologia , Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquimica , Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

3: Phytomedicine . 2002 Apr ;9 (3):245-8.
The anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of a crude extract of Petiveria alliacea L. ( Phytolaccaceae ).

Lopes-Martins RA, Pegoraro DH, Woisky R, Penna SC, Sertie JA.
Laboratorio de Farmacologia e Experimentacao Animal, Instituto de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento ( IP&D /CEN), Universidade do Vale do Paraiba , UNIVAP. Sao Jose dos Campos , SP, Brazil .

4: J Ethnopharmacol . 2002 Mar ;79 (3):335-9.
Cytotoxic effect of Argentine medicinal plant extracts on human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line.

Ruffa MJ, Ferraro G, Wagner ML, Calcagno ML, Campos RH, Cavallaro L.
Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquijmica , Catedra de Virologija , Universidad de Buenos Aires, Capital Federal, Argentina.

Methanolic extracts from Achyrocline satureioides (Dc.) Lam, Aristolochia macroura Gomez, Lithraea molleoides ( Vell .) Engl., Schinus molle L., unlike those from Celtis spinosa Spreng , Chenopodium ambrosioides L., Petiveria alliacea L., and Plantago major L. showed cytotoxic activity against a human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line, Hep G2. Schinus molle L. was the most active (IC50=50+/-7 microg /ml). These results call for further studies of these extracts.

5: Phytochemistry . 2001 Nov ;58 (6):981-5.
Cysteine sulfoxide derivatives in Petiveria alliacea .

Kubec R, Musah RA.
Department of Chemistry, State University of New York at Albany , NY , Albany 12222 , USA .

Two diastereomers of S-benzyl-L- cysteine sulfoxide have been isolated from fresh roots of Petiveria alliacea . Their structures and absolute configurations have been determined by NMR, MALDI-HRMS, IR and CD spectroscopy and confirmed by comparison with authentic compounds. Both the R(S) and S(S) diastereomers of the sulfoxide are present in all parts of the plant (root, stem, and leaves) with the latter diastereomer being predominant. Their total content greatly varied in different parts of the plant between 0.07 and 2.97 mg g( -1) fr . wt, being by far the highest in the root. S- Benzylcysteine has also been detected in trace amounts (<10 microg g( -1) fr . wt) in all parts of the plant. This represents the first report of the presence of S- benzylcysteine derivatives in nature.

6: Biochim Biophys Acta . 2001 Aug 22 ;1540 (2):166-77.
Disassembly of microtubules and inhibition of neurite outgrowth, neuroblastoma cell proliferation, and MAP kinase tyrosine dephosphorylation by dibenzyl trisulphide .

Rosner H, Williams LA, Jung A, Kraus W .
Institute of Zoology, University of Hohenheimer -Stuttgart , Germany . roesnerh@uni-hohenheim.de

Dibenzyl trisulphide (DTS), a main lipophilic compound in Petiveria alliacea L. ( Phytolaccaceae ), was identified as one of the active immunomodulatory compounds in extracts of the plant. To learn more about its biological activities and molecular mechanisms, we conducted one-dimensional NMR interaction studies with bovine serum albumin (BSA) and tested DTS and related compounds in two well-established neuronal cell-and-tissue culture systems. We found that DTS preferentially binds to an aromatic region of BSA which is rich in tyrosyl residues. In SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells, DTS attenuates the dephosphorylation of tyrosyl residues of MAP kinase (erk1/erk2). In the same neuroblastoma cell line and in Wistar 38 human lung fibroblasts, DTS causes a reversible disassembly of microtubules, but it did not affect actin dynamics. Probably due to the disruption of the microtubule dynamics, DTS also inhibits neuroblastoma cell proliferation and neurite outgrowth from spinal cord explants. Related dibenzyl compounds with none, one, or two sulphur atoms were found to be significantly less effective. These data confirmed that the natural compound DTS has a diverse spectrum of biological properties, including cytostatic and neurotoxic actions in addition to immunomodulatory activities.

7: Anticancer Res. 2001 May-Jun ;21 (3B):1763-70.
Discovery of novel inducers of cellular differentiation using HL-60 promyelocytic cells.

Mata-Greenwood E, Ito A, Westenburg H, Cui B, Mehta RG, Kinghorn AD, Pezzuto JM.
Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy , College of Pharmacy , University of Illinois at Chicago , 60612, USA .

Non-physiological inducers of terminal differentiation have been used as novel therapies for the prevention and therapy of cancer. We have used cultured HL-60 promyelocytic cells to monitor differentiation, proliferation and cell death events as induced by a large set of extracts derived from plants. Screening of more than 1400 extracts led to the discovery of 34 with potent activity (ED50 <8 mg/ml). Bioassay-guided fractionation led to the isolation of zapotin and 2' ,5,6 -trimethoxyflavone as active principles from Casimiroa edulis , dibenzyltrisulfide and 2-[( phenylmethyl ) dithio ]ethanol as active principles from Petiveria alliacea , and desmethylrocaglamide from Aglaia ponapensis . Zapotin demonstrated the most favorable biological profile in that induction of differentiation correlated with proliferation arrest, and a lack of cytotoxicity . We conclude that the HL-60 cell model is a useful system for the discovery of novel pharmacophores with potential to suppress the process of carcinogenesis, and that flavonoids may be especially useful in this capacity.

8: Farmaco . 2001 May-Jul ;56 (5-7):523-6.
Preliminary screening of five ethnomedicinal plants of Guatemala .

Morales C, Gomez -Serranillos MP, Iglesias I, Villar AM, Caceres A.
Departamento de Farmacologia , Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain .

We performed the Irwin test on some different extracts of the aerial parts of Tridax procumbens L., of the leaves of Neurolaena lobata (L.) R. Br., of the bark and leaves of Byrsonima crassifolia (L.) Kunth . and Gliricidia sepium Jacq . Walp . and of the root and leaves of Petiveria alliacea L. At a dosage of 1.25 g extract/100 g dried plant, the aqueous extracts of bark and leaves of Byrsonima crassifolia (L.) Kunth . and G. sepium Jacq . Walp . showed higher activity: decrease in motor activity, back tonus, reversible parpebral ptosis . catalepsy and strong hypothermia.

9: J Ethnopharmacol . 2001 Aug ;76 (3):223-8.
Neuropharmacological profile of ethnomedicinal plants of Guatemala .

Morales Cifuentes C, Gomez -Serranillos MP, Iglesias I, Villar del Fresno AM, Morales C, Departamento de Farmacologia , Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain

We carried out the Irwin's test with some different extracts of the aerial parts of Thidax procumbens L., the leaves of Neurolaena lobata (L.) R. Br. , bark and leaves of Byrsonima crassifolia (L.) Kunth . and Gliricidia sepium Jacq . Walp ., and root and leaves of Petiveria alliacea L. At dosage of 1.25 g dried plant/kg weight aqueous extracts of bark and leaves of Byrsonima crassifolia (L.) Kunth . and Gliricidia sepium Jacq . Walp . demonstrated the most activity: decrease in motor activity, back tonus, reversible parpebral ptosis , catalepsy and strong hypothermia. These extracts of both plants were assayed for effects on CNS and they caused very significant reductions in spontaneous locomotor activity, exploratory behavior and rectal temperature and they increased the sodium pentobarbital-induced sleeping time

10: Phytochemistry . 2001 Jul ;57 (5):743-7.
Antifungal polysulphides from Petiveria alliacea L.

Benevides PJ, Young MC, Giesbrecht AM, Roque NF , Bolzani VS.
Instituto de Quimica , Universidade de Sao Paulo, C.P . 26077, CEP 05599-970, SP, Brazil .

Bioactivity-directed fractionation of the CH( 2) Cl (2)/ MeOH (2:1, v/v) extract of the roots of Petiveria alliacea , using mutant yeast strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and fungi Cladosporium cladosporioides and C. sphaerospermum led to the isolation of dipropyl disulphide (1), dibenzyl sulphide (2), dibenzyl disulphide (3), dibenzyl trisulphide (4), dibenzyl tetrasulphide (5), benzylhydroxymethyl sulphide (6) and di ( benzyltrithio ) methane (7). Of these, 5-7 are new compounds and this is the first report of the natural occurrence of 2 and 3

11: Immunopharmacol Immunotoxicol . 2000 Aug ;22 (3):501-18.
Cytokine profile and natural killer cell activity in Listeria monocytogenes infected mice treated orally with Petiveria alliacea extract.

Queiroz ML, Quadros MR, Santos LM.
Departmento de Farmacologia/Hemocentro , Faculdade de Ciencias Medicas , Universidade Estadual de Campinas , SP, Brazil . msq44@uol.com.br

In this work, we investigated the effects of Petiveria alliacea extract on the production of Th1-type and Th2-type cytokines and on NK cells activity in normal and Listeria monocytogenes infected mice. Our results demonstrated that in normal/non-infected mice P. alliacea administration led to increased levels of Interleukin-2 (IL-2). The infection alone enhanced INF-gamma levels and NK cell activity at 48 and 72 hours of infection. The treatment with five consecutive doses of 1000 mg/kg/day of P. alliacea extract, given previously to infection, led to further increases in IL-2 levels, in relation to normal/non-infected/P. alliacea treated controls, and in INF-gamma levels at 72 h of infection, compared to infected mice. On the other hand, the production of IL-4 and IL-10 were not altered either by the infection or by the treatment with P. alliacea extract. NK cells activity increased at 48 h and 72 h following the inoculation of the bacteria. When mice were treated with P. alliacea previously to infection, NK activity was higher than that observed at 48 h, 72 h and 120 h of infection in the infected animal. Based on these findings we suggest that P. alliacea up-regulates anti-bacterial immune response by enhancing both Th1 function and the activity of NK cells.

12: Immunopharmacol Immunotoxicol . 1999 Feb ;21 (1):109-24.
Petiveria alliacea L. extract protects mice against Listeria monocytogenes infection--effects on bone marrow progenitor cells.

Quadros MR, Souza Brito AR, Queiroz ML.
Department of Physiology, Institute of Biology, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), SP, Brazil.

In this study we have investigated the effects of Petiveria alliacea on the hematopoietic response of mice infected with Listeria monocytogenes . Our results demonstrate a protective effect of the crude extract of P. alliacea since the survival of the treated/infected was higher than that in the infected group. Moreover, the number of granulocyte/macrophage colonies (CFU-GM) and the serum colony stimulating activity levels were increased in the treated/infected mice in relation to the infected group. These results suggest an immunomodulation of Petiveria alliacea extract on hematopoiesis , which may be responsible, at least in part, for the increased resistance of mice to Listeria monocytogenes infection.

13: J Ethnopharmacol . 1998 Oct ;62 (3):195-202.
Plants used in Guatemala for the treatment of protozoal infections. I. Screening of activity to bacteria, fungi and American trypanosomes of 13 native plants.

Caceres A, Lopez B, Gonzalez S, Berger I, Tada I, Maki J.
Faculty of Chemical Sciences and Pharmacy, University of San Carlos, Guatemala, Guatemala.

Extracts were prepared from 13 native plants used for the treatment of protozoal infections. Activity against bacteria and fungi was demonstrated by dilution procedures; Trypanosoma cruzi was evaluated in vitro against epimastigote and trypomastigotes and in vivo against trypomastigotes . In active extracts, toxicity was evaluated by Artemia salina nauplii , oral acute toxicity (1-5 g/kg) and oral and intraperitoneal subacute toxicity in mice (500 mg/kg). From the plants screened, six showed activity (< or = 2 mg/ml) against bacteria, three against yeasts, five against Microsporum gypseum and five against T. cruzi in vitro and/or in vivo. In vitro and in vivo activity was demonstrated by Neurolaena lobata and Solanum americanum ; in vitro or in vivo activity was shown by Acalypha guatemalensis , Petiveria alliacea and Tridax procumbens . Toxicity studies showed that extracts from S. americanum are toxic to A. salina (aqueous, 160 ppm ). None showed acute or oral toxicity to mice; S. americanum showed intraperitoneal subacute toxicity.

14: J Ethnopharmacol . 1998 Sep ;62 (2):107-15.
Plants used in Guatemala for the treatment of protozoal infections: II. Activity of extracts and fractions of five Guatemalan plants against Trypanosoma cruzi .

Berger I, Barrientos AC, Caceres A, Hernandez M, Rastrelli L, Passreiter CM, Kubelka W.
Institute of Pharmacognosy , University of Vienna, Austria.

The activities of crude plant extracts of five plants popularly used in Guatemala against bacterial and protozoal infections and some of their fractions have been evaluated against the trypomastigote and epimastigote forms of Trypanosoma cruzi in vitro. The most active fraction of Neurolaena lobata has also been screened in vivo. Main in vitro activities against trypomastigotes have been observed for the hexane and ethanol extracts of N. lobata ( Asteraceae ). Both extracts were also active against epimastigotes , whereas all other extracts tested had no effect on epimastigotes . For the hexane extracts of Petiveria alliacea ( Phytolaccaceae ) and Tridax procumbens ( Asteraceae ) a marked inhibition of trypomastigotes has been found. Also the ethanol extracts of Byrsonima crassifolia ( Malpighiaceae ) leafs and Gliricidia sepium ( Papilionaceae ) bark showed some trypanocidal activity. Fraction 2 of the ethanol extract of N. lobata was highly active against T. cruzi as well in vitro as in vivo. The chloroforme fraction of P. alliacea showed a high inhibition of trypomastigotes in vitro. Also three fractions of the active extract of B. crassifolia inhibited T. cruzi trypomastigotes . No fraction of G. sepium bark extract showed a marked trypanocidal activity.

15: Braz J Med Biol Res. 1994 Mar ;27 (3):749-54.
Antimitotic action of extracts of Petiveria alliacea on sea urchin egg development.

Malpezzi EL, Davino SC, Costa LV, Freitas JC, Giesbrecht AM, Roque NF.
Departamento de Fisiologia Geral , Universidade de Sao Paulo, Brasil .

The hydroethanol extract of the roots of Petiveria alliacea L. ( Phytolaccaceae ) has been investigated previously as an antitumor agent against mouse Ehrlich ascites . The extract and its methanol, butanol and ether fractions exhibited an antimitotic effect on sea urchin egg development. The aqueous fraction did not produce inhibition of cell cleavage. At the first cleavage the inhibition, at the lowest concentration (10 micrograms/ml), produced by the ether fraction was 42%, whereas the inhibition produced by the total extract and by the other fractions was only 5 to 10% showing that the ether fraction was the most active. Even at higher concentrations the butanol and methanol fractions inhibit the cleavage about 30%. At the first cleavage, the ED50 of the hydroethanol extract and of the ether fraction were 45.02 and 12.40 micrograms/ml, respectively. Furthermore, in the second cleavage, the hydroethanol extract was about twice as potent as the methanol or butanol fractions (ED50 of 22.40, 44.80 and 54.10 micrograms/ml, respectively).

16: J Ethnopharmacol . 1991 Sep ;34 (2-3):173-87.
Ethnobotanical survey of the medicinal flora used by the Caribs of Guatemala .

Giron LM, Freire V, Alonzo A, Caceres A .
Center for Mesoamerican Studies on Appropriate Technology (CEMAT), Guatemala City .

An ethnobotanical survey was conducted among the Carib population of Guatemala in 1988- 1989. In general terms, the sample surveyed possessed a relatively good standard of living. Results indicated that health services were utilized by the population, and that domestic medicine, mainly plants (96.9%) was used by 15% of the population. One hundred and nineteen plants used for medicinal purposes were collected, of which 102 (85.7%) could be identified; a list of these together with the information provided for each plant is presented. The most frequently reported plants used as medicine are: Acalypha arvensis , Cassia alata , Cymbopogon citratus , Melampodium divaricatum . Momordica charantia , Neurolaena lobata , Ocimum basilicum , Petiveria alliacea and Solanum nigrescens . Most of these plants are found in the region, but some are brought from the Highlands or outside of the country, such as Malva parviflora , Matricaria chamomilla , Peumus boldus , Pimpinella anisum , Rosmarinus officinalis and Tagetes lucida . This survey demonstrated that the Carib population of Guatemala has survived in a transcultural environment of African and native Amerindian beliefs

17: Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz. 1991 ;86 Suppl 2:241-3.
The effectiveness of tipi in the treatment of hip and knee osteoarthritis--a preliminary report.

Ferraz MB, Pereira RB, Coelho Andrade LE, Atra E.
Escola Paulista de Medicina, Sao Paulo, Brasil.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common painful inflammatory condition occurring mainly in the later half of life. Hip and knee are the joints mostly affected. Petiveria alliacea (tipi) popularly known as an anti-rheumatic medicine, has been used by OA patients to relief pain. This one-week cross-over double-blind trial has preliminary evaluated the analgesic effect of tipi tea in 14 patients with hip and knee OA. Imperata exaltata ( sape ) was used as the Placebo tea. The pain assessments that were made at baseline and before the start of the second treatment period by treatment groups were comparable. While taking tipi or placebo tea patients experienced a statistically significant improvement in pain on motion and pain at night. The comparison between the improvements reported while on tipi and placebo tea, however, did not disclose any statistically significant difference. At the conclusion of the study 7 patients preferred tipi tea and 6 preferred placebo tea (NS). Two patients reported insomnia, one during placebo treatment and the other during tipi treatment.

18: Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz. 1991 ;86 Suppl 2:153-8.
Evaluation of antinociceptive effect of Petiveria alliacea ( Guine ) in animals.

de Lima TC, Morato GS, Takahashi RN.
Departamento de Farmacologia , Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianopolis , Brasil.

Petiveria alliacea ( Phytolaccaceae ) is a bush widely distributed in South America including Brazil , where it is popularly known as " guine ", " pipi ", "tipi" or " erva -de-tipi". Brazilian folk medicine attributes to the hot water infusion of its roots or leaves the following pharmacological properties: antipyretic, antispasmodic, abortifacient , antirrheumatic , diuretic, analgesic and sedative. The present study has evaluated the alleged effects of P. alliacea on central nervous system (CNS), particularly, the sedative and analgesic properties of root crude aqueous extract of this plant in mice and rats. This extract showed an antinociceptive effect in acetic acid--acetylcholine--and hypertonic saline--induced abdominal constrictions, but not in hot-plate and tail flick tests. P. alliacea did not produce any CNS depressor effect. Thus its antinociceptive action in animals can be responsible by its popular use as an analgesic.

19: Med Interne. 1990 Oct-Dec ;28 (4):347-52.

Petiveria alleaceae L. ( anamu ). Study of the hypoglycemic effect.

Lores RI, Cires Pujol M.
Postgraduate Department , Instituto Superior de Ciencias Medicas, La Habana , Cuba.

The combined phytochemical and pharmaceutical study of Petiveria alleaceae L. ( anamu ) has shown the existence in the leaves and stems of the plant of a possible hypoglycemic active principle. Extracts from leaves and stem powder were found to produce a decrease of blood sugar concentration of more than 60% one hour after oral administration in male Balb /C mice weighing 20 g fasted for 48 hours.