Ajos sacha

(Mansoa alliacea)

Family: Bignoniaceae
Taxon: Mansoa alliacea (Lam.) A.H. Gentry
Synonyms: Adenocalymma alliaceum, Adenocalymma pachypus, Adenocalymma sagotii, Bignonia alliacea, Pachyptera alliacea, Pseudocalymma alliaceum, Pseudocalymma pachypus, Pseudocalymma sagotti
Common Names: aboeja-mibia, ah-kah-pota, ajo macho, ajo sacha, ajos sacha, ajosacha, ajos del monte, Amazonian garlic bush, ayotete, be'o-ho, be'o-ja pusanga, bejuco de ajo, boens, cipo-alho, cipo-d’alho, false garlic, garlic rope, garlic vine, gonofroe-tite, ilay kamwi, ka ale, knof-looklian, knoflook liaan, koenofrokoetite, kwi-po-kan, liane-ail, nia boens, nishi boains, posatalu, sacha ajo, sucho ajo, shansque boains, tingi-tite, vova, wild garlic, woe-ipole
Phytochemicals: 24-ethyl-cholest-7-en-3-beta-ol, 3-beta-hydroxy-urs-18-en-27-oic acid, alliin, allyl sulfides, alpha 4-hydroxy-9-methoxy-lapachone, alpha 9-methoxy-lapachone, apigenins, aspartic acid, beta-sitosterol, beta amyrin, beta-peltoboykinolic acid, cosmosiin, cyanidin-3-o-beta-d-rutinoside, daucosterol, diallyl sulfides, 1-2: 3-vinyl-dithi-4-ene, 1-2: 3-vinyl-dithi-5-ene, dithiacyclopentene, dotriacontan-1-ol, fucosterol, glutamic acid, glycyrrhetol, hentriacontanes, hexacosan-1-ol, hexatriacontans, leucine, luteolin, n-nonacosane, oct-1-en-3-ol, octacosan-1-ol, pentatriacont-1-en-17-ol, scutellarein-7-o-beta-d-glucuronide, stigmasterol, triacontan-1-ol, triallyl sulfides, trithiacyclohexene, n-tritriacontane, ursolic acid.
Parts Used: bark, leaf, root

HERBAL PROPERTIES AND ACTIONS

Main Actions: relieves pain reduces inflammation calms coughs reduces fever reduces spasms eases colds & flu kills viruses

Other Actions: lowers cholesterol fights free radicals kills bacteria kills fungi

Standard Dosage: Leaf or Bark Decoction: 1 cup 2-3 times daily; Tincture: 3-4 ml twice daily; Capsules: 1-2 g twice daily;

Ajos sacha is an evergreen tropical shrubby vine that is native to the Amazon rainforest. It can either be described as a shrub or a vine since it produces numerous woody vines from the root that grow only 2-3 m tall and form a shrub-like appearance. Its Spanish name, ajos sacha, means “false garlic” and refers to the strong garlic smell and flavor of the leaves when crushed. In the tropics and in the Amazon rainforest, the leaves are even used as a condiment or spice for its garlic flavor and odor.
Ajos sacha can be found growing wild in the tropical rainforests of Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, the three Guyanas, as well as Costa Rica.

Ajos sacha contains several of the main sulfur compounds that garlic does. It is these compounds which are responsible for the garlic-like odor and taste of ajos sacha. The wood of the vine was reported to contain two lapachone chemicals which are well known plant chemicals of the Bignoniaceae family and documented with anticancerous and antimicrobial actions. The leaves and/or flowers contain the known anti-inflammatory and antibacterial plant steroids beta sitosterol, stigmasterol, daucosterol, and fucosterol.

The sulfur compounds (the predominate ones being alliin and various allyl sulfides) in both garlic and ajos sacha have been studied by many and reported over the years to be able to lower cholesterol.
In research published in 1980, a water extract of ajos sacha leaves was reported to have an antioxidant effect which was attributed to the anthocyanin compounds found in the plant. Researchers confirmed ajos sacha's long standing use for arthritis and rheumatism when they reported that the plant was capable of inhibiting COX (an enzyme required in the inflammatory process) and well as reduced ear edema in a study with rats in 1997. Ajos sacha has also been reported with antimicrobial actions against fungi, plant viruses, and bacteria, which may help explain its long standing use for colds, flu, pneumonia and other upper respiratory infections.

Ajos sacha is well used and respected by most of the indigenous Indian tribes of the Amazon and almost all parts of the plant are used; the leaves, vine bark, and root. Most consider the plant to be "magical" or "spiritual" and capable of driving away evil spirits or used for good luck. The Shipibo-Conibo Indians give a tea of bark to dogs to make them good hunters and also drink the tea themselves to bring good luck when hunting or fishing. Oftentimes, ajos sacha can be found as an adjunctive ingredient in the hallucinogenic potion the shamans use in spiritual ceremonies called ayahuasca. It is added to the brew to drive away evil spirits, or to purify the blood and body to make the ayahuasca more readily accepted.

Ajos sacha is also used as a medicine by the Indian tribes in the Amazon and is quite well known and popular in the cities and towns in the Amazon and has a long history of use in herbal medicine systems in Peru and Brazil. It is considered analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and antirheumatic and widely used for arthritis, rheumatism, body aches and pain, and muscle aches, injuries and pain.

Following-up a brief summary on ethnomedical uses of ajos sacha.

Region	Uses
Amazonia	for arthritis, good luck, nervous shock, and rheumatism
Brazil	as an analgesic, antipyretic, antirheumatic, and tonic; for arthritis, body aches, colds, coughs, fevers, flu, respiratory ailments, and rheumatism
Colombia	for pulmonary ailments
Guyana	as an analgesic and antipyretic, for colds, cramps, fatigue, fevers, flu, general weakness, head colds, lameness, lumbago, muscle aches, pain, and rheumatism
Peru	as an analgesic, anti-arthritic, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, antirheumatic, antitussive, depurative, purgative, and tonic; for aches, abdominal pain, arthritis, asthma, body aches, colds, coughs, cramps, epilepsy, fatigue, fertility, fevers, flu, good luck, headaches, inflammation, insect repellent, malaria, nervous shock, nervousness, pneumonia, rheumatism, skin problems, and uterine disorders
Suriname	for colds, fever, rheumatic pains and as a vermifuge and pregnancy tonic
Venezuela	as an emetic

AJOS SACHA PLANT SUMMARY

Main Actions (in order):	analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antirheumatic, febrifuge, antitussive
Main Uses:	for arthritis and rheumatism for coughs, colds, flu, pneumonia and upper respiratory conditions as a general pain-reliever (headaches, muscles, joints, body aches) for fevers (malaria, flu, etc.) for general inflammation (external and internal)
Properties/Actions Documented by Research:	antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antihistamine, antioxidant, antispasmodic, diuretic, hypotensive (lowers blood pressure), muscle relaxant, uterine relaxant
Properties/Actions Documented by Traditional Use:	analgesic, anti-arthritic, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, antirheumatic, antitussive, depurative, purgative, tonic, vermifuge
Traditional Preparation:	Generally, if the bark is prepared into a natural remedy, a decoction or tincture method is used. The leaves are thought to have best the broad spectrum actions and generally they are prepared into decoctions, tinctures, and capsules.
Contraindications:	None reported
Drug Interactions:	None reported

WARNINGS: Information, statements and products on this website have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, mitigate, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or health condition. The natural properties of the botanicals are only referred to their common uses among folk and herbal traditions. Our products are not intended to diagnose, cure, or prevent any disease as well. It's not meant to give any suggestion of diagnosis or disesase treatment. Please see a doctor when needed.