Botanical Index No. 840

Quassia

picrasma excelsa

Medicinal Actions

Amebicide, Antibacterial, Anticancer, Antileukemic, Antilymphomic, Antiplasmodial, Antiseptic, Antitumor, Antiviral, Choleretic, Cytotoxic, Digestive, Fungicide, Gastrostimulant, Hepatotonic, Insecticide, Laxative, Narcotic, Negative Chronotropic, Pesticide, Piscicide, Positive Inotropic, Sialagogue, Stomachic, Tonic

Primary Conditions Treated

Aperitif Bitter Insectifuge Vermifuge Amebiasis Anorexia Bacteria Cancer Cholecystosis Constipation Dysentery Dyspepsia Epithelioma Fever Fungus Hepatosis Infection Leukemia Malaria Mycosis Nematode Nephrosis Parasite Pediculosis Pinworm Tumor Virus Worm Wound

General Dosage

1–2 g wood decoction/day; 1–4 ml concentrated BPC wood infusion; 0.25 tsp powdered wood/cup water, half-hour before meals; 0.3–0.6 g powdered wood; 0.3–0.6 g dry wood, or in cold tea, 3 ×/day; 2.5–5 ml concentrated wood tea; 2.5–5 ml wood tincture or tea; 2–4 ml quassia tincture; 2.5–5 ml quassia tincture.

Safety & Contraindications

Class 2b. Excessive amount can irritate the gastric mucosa and cause vomiting. Use during pregnancy and lactation is discouraged. Excessive doses may interfere with cardiac and coagulant therapy. Folklore has it that chronic use can lead to poor vision, even total blindness, shades of another bitter, absinth. No side effects noted in 454 patients who used quassia tincture as a scalp lotion for head lice.

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