Virola sebifera

Virola sebifera, common names Ucuúba-do-Cerrado and red ucuuba,  is a type of tree from the family Myristicaceae, from Central America and South America.

Description
Virola sebifera is a tall, thin tree, which grows up to 30 m tall. The leaves are simple and grow up to 30 centimeters long. The small flowers are single-sexed and are found in panicles. The fruit is reddish and oval-shaped. The idividual Virola trees, which include 40 to 60 species, are difficult to differentiate from one another.

Contents und uses
The bark of the tree is rich in tannins and also the hallucinogen dimethyltryptamine (DMT), as well as 5-MeO-DMT and it is used by idigenous people to treat skin conditions. The ripe seeds contain fatty acid glycerides, especially laurodimyristin and trimyristin.

Industrial uses
Seeds from Virola sebifera are processed to obtain the fats, which are yellow and aromatic. They smell like nutmeg. The fats also become rancid quickly. They are used industrially in the production of fats, candles and soaps. This virola fat possesses properties similar to cocoa butter, or also shea butter.

Homeopathy
The homeopathic product Myristica sebifera, (Abbreviation: Myris) is derived from the fresh, red juice from the injured bark of the tree. It is especially used for such ailments as abscesses, phlegmon, paronychia, furuncle, anal fissures, infections of the parotid gland, bacterially infected tonsilitis, etc.

Traditional medicine
The smoke of the inner bark of the tree is used by shamans of the indigenous people of Venezuela for healing fever conditions, or also cooked for driving out evil ghosts.

General references

 * Christian Rätsch: Enzyklopädie der psychoaktiven Pflanzen. AT Verlag, 2007, 8.te Auflage, ISBN: 978-3-03800-352-6
 * Karl Hiller, Matthias F. Melzig, Lexikon der Arzneipflanzen und Drogen, 2 Bände, Genehmigte Sonderausgabe für den area verlag, 2006, ISBN 3-89996-682-1
 * Markus Wiesenauer, Suzann Kirschner-Brouns: Homöopathie - Das große Handbuch, Gräfe & Unzer Verlag, 2007, ISBN: 978-3-8338-0034-4

Weblinks

 * Virola sebifera - Photo Gallery
 * Photos of Virola sebifera
 * Three photos of Talgmuskatnußbaum
 * Virola sebifera Aublet
 * Climate Change and the effects on Virola sebifera

Virola sebifera