Overview
Cacao has been traditionally used by natives in South America, such as Mayas, for its medicinal properties.
This is an Amazon rainforest tree with a history of providing traditional medicines used in South America. The medicinal
preparations are derived from the leaves and seeds (cacao beans) of the fruit. Depending on the processing, cacao and its
derivative products (chocolate, cacao butter) can contain flavonols and procyanidins (flavonoids).
The flavonols and the procyanidins possess biological activities relevant to oxidant defenses, vascular health, tumor
suppression, and immune function. The chronic ingestion of flavonol- and procyanidin-rich cacao is associated with a reduction
in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation and inhibition of platelet function In addition; specific procyanidin fractions
isolated from cacao have demonstrated protection against peroxynitrite-mediated protein damage as well as against oxidation
of synthetic liposomes and DNA. Studies have shown that purified cacao procyanidin fractions, as well as a crude extract,
can alter cytokine transcription. It seems that these natural products have the potential to modulate the immune response.
These mechanistic observations may provide a basis that suggests that the regular consumption of foods rich in flavonoids
is associated with a reduced risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, and certain cancers.
Applications
Emollient properties. Theobromine, the alkaloid contained in the beans, resembles caffeine in
its action, but its effect on the central nervous system is less powerful.
It is also employed in high blood pressure as it dilates the blood-vessels.
Stimulating mood enhancer (aphrodisiac)
Dieting, depression
Phyto-chemicals
Acetic-acid, aesculetin, alanine, alkaloids, alpha-sitosterol, alpha-theosterol, amyl-acetate, amyl-alcohol, amyl-butyrate,
amylase, apigenin-7-o-glucoside, arabinose, arachidic-acid, arginine, ascorbic-acid, ascorbic-acid-oxidase, aspariginase,
beta-carotene, beta-sitosterol, beta-theosterol, biotin, caffeic-acid, caffeine, calcium, campesterol, catalase, catechins,
catechol, cellulase, cellulose, chlorogenic-acid, chrysoeriol-7-o-glucoside, citric-acid, coumarin, cyanidin,
cyanidin-3-beta-l-arabinoside, cyanidin-3-galactoside, cyanidin-glycoside, cycloartanol, d-galactose, decarboxylase, dextrinase,
diacetyl, dopamine, epigallocatechin, ergosterol, ferulic-acid, formic-acid, fructose, furfurol, galacturonic-acid, gallocatechin,
gentisic-acid, glucose, glutamic-acid, glycerin, glycerophosphatase, glycine, glycolic-acid, glycosidase, haematin, histidine, i-butyric-acid,
idaein, invertase, isobutylacetate, isoleucine, isopropyl-acetate, isovitexin, kaempferol, l-epicatechin, leucine, leucocyanidins, linalool,
linoleic-acid, lipase, luteolin, luteolin-7-o-glucoside, lysine, lysophosphatidyl-choline, maleic-acid, mannan, manninotriose, mannose, melibiose,
mesoinositol, methylheptenone, n-butylacetate, n-nonacosane, niacin, nicotinamide, nicotinic- acid, nitrogen, nonanoic-acid, o-hydroxyphenylacetic-acid,
octoic-acid, oleic- acid, oleo-dipalmatin, oleopalmitostearin, oxalic-acid, p-anisic-acid, p-coumaric-acid, p-coumarylquinic-acid, p-hydroxybenzoic-acid,
p-hydroxyphenylacetic-acid, palmitic-acid, palmitodiolen, pantothenic-acid, pectin, pentose, peroxidase, phenylacetic-acid, phenylalanine, phlobaphene,
phosphatidyl-choline, phosphatidyl- ethanolamine, phosphatidyl-inositol, phospholipids, phosphorus, phytase, planteose, polygalacturonate, polyphenol-oxidase,
polyphenols, proline, propionic-acid, propyl-acetate, protocatechuic-acid, purine, pyridoxine, quercetin, quercetin-3-o-galactoside, quercetin-3-o-glucoside,
quercitrin, raffinase, raffinose, reductase, rhamnose, riboflavin, rutin, rutoside, saccharose, salsolinol, serine, sinapic-acid, stachyose, stearic-acid, stearodiolein,
stigmasterol, sucrose, syringic-acid, tannins, tartaric-acid, theobromine, theophylline, thiamin, threonine, trigonelline, tyramine, tyrosine, valerianic-acid, valine,
vanillic-acid, verbascose, verbascotetrose, vitexin
Pharmacology
Flavonoids isolated from cacao have biological activities relevant to oxidant defenses,
vascular health, tumor suppression, and immune function. The intake of certain dietary flavonoids, along with other
dietary substances such as tocopherols, ascorbate, and carotenoids, is epidemiologically associated with a reduced risk
of cardiovascular disease. Flavonoids have also been shown to modulate tumor pathology in vitro and in animal models.
The primary alkaloid in cacao, Theobromine, has similar stimulating activity to that of caffeine. It is a weak CNS stimulant,
with one-tenth the cardiac effects of other methylxanthines (caffeine, theophylline). Polyphenols in cacao are similar to
the phenols in red wine, which has been shown to inhibit the oxidation of LDL. Cacao inhibit LDL oxidation and increase
HDL-cholesterol concentrations, this potentially decreases the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Extract of cacao counters
the bacteria responsible for boils and septicemia. Polyphenol compounds present in the cacao liquor, extracted by using
ethanol, have the potential in decreasing the severity of hepatocarcinogenesis (production of cancer of the liver).
Dosage
Tincture: 1 - 4 ml
For depression, dieting: 6 ml / day
Reference
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The above presentation is for informational and educational purposes only.
It is based on scientific studies (human, animal, or in vitro), clinical experience, or traditional usage.
For many of the conditions discussed, treatment with prescription or over - the - counter medication is also available.
Consult your doctor, practitioner, and / or pharmacist for any health problem and before using dietary supplements or before making any changes in prescribed medications.
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