Andiroba Interactions Overview

Carapa guianensis, commonly known as Andiroba, is a tropical tree native to the Amazon rainforest, valued for various parts, including its bark, leaves, fruit oil, and seed oil. These parts contain bioactive compounds such as limonoids, triterpenes, coumarins, and flavonoids. The seed oil, rich in oleic and palmitic acids, also contains bitter substances like limonoids or meliacins, such as gedunin and andirobin. Andiroba is believed to possess medicinal properties, including potential anticonvulsant effects of fatty acid amides found in its oil, which may modulate GABA-A receptors. The oil's anti-inflammatory properties are attributed to its limonoid and triterpene content. It also demonstrates anti-plasmodial effects against parasites, primarily due to gedunin and its derivatives. Moreover, Andiroba leaves are used in the treatment of skin conditions such as ulcers and wounds, with research indicating that the leaf extract can accelerate wound healing and epithelialization, potentially through the augmentation of hydroxyproline concentrations.