Carqueja

OTHER NAME(S): Bacanta, Cacalia Amara, Caclia Doce, Cacalia-Amarga, Cacalia-Amargosa, Cacliadoce, Carqueja Amara, Carqueja-Amargosa, Carqueja-Do-Mato, Carquejilla, Carquejinha, Chinchimani, Chirca Melosa, Condamina, Cuchi-Cuchi, Omith, Quimsa-Kuchu, Quina-De-Condamiana, Quinsu-Cucho, Tiririca-De-Balaio, Tres-Espigas, Vassoura, Baccharis trimera, Baccharis genistelloides, Baccharis triptera, Baccharis trinervis, Baccharis cylindrica, Baccharis myriocephala, Baccharis milleflora, Baccharis crispa, Baccharis gaudichaudiana

Overview

Carqueja (Baccharis trimera) is a shrub native to South America. The parts of the plant that grow above the ground and used to make medicine.

Carqueja contains chemicals that might relieve swelling and protect the liver.

People sometimes use carqueja for diabetes, high cholesterol, obesity, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.

References
  1. Coelho MG, Reis PA, Gava VB, et al. Anti-arthritic effect and subacute toxicological evaluation of Baccharis genistelloides aqueous extract. Toxicol Lett 2004;154:69-80.
  2. Gene RM, Cartana C, Adzet T, et al. Anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity of Baccharis trimera: identification of its active constituents. Planta Med 1996;62:232-5.
  3. de las Heras B, Slowing K, Benedi J, et al. Antiinflammatory and antioxidant activity of plants used in traditional medicine in Ecuador. J Ethnopharmacol 1998;61:161-6.
  4. Oliveira AC, Endringer DC, Amorim LA, et al. Effect of the extracts and fractions of Baccharis trimera and Syzygium cumini on glycaemia of diabetic and non-diabetic mice. J Ethnopharmacol 2005;102:465-9.
  5. Torres LM, Gamberini MT, Roque NF, et al. Diterpene from Baccharis trimera with a relaxant effect on rat vascular smooth muscle. Phytochemistry 2000;55:617-9.
  6. Hnatyszyn O, Moscatelli V, Garcia J, et al. Argentinian plant extracts with relaxant effect on the smooth muscle of the corpus cavernosum of guinea pig. Phytomedicine 2003;10:669-74.
  7. Januario AH, Santos SL, Marcussi S, et al. Neo-clerodane diterpenoid, a new metalloprotease snake venom inhibitor from Baccharis trimera (Asteraceae): anti-proteolytic and anti-hemorrhagic properties. Chem Biol Interact 2004;150:243-51.
  8. Palacios P, Gutkind G, Rondina RV, et al. Genus Baccharis. II. Antimicrobial activity of B. crispa and B. notosergila. Planta Med 1983;49:128.
  9. Abad MJ, Bermejo P, Gonzales E, et al. Antiviral activity of Bolivian plant extracts. Gen Pharmacol 1999;32:499-503.
  10. Soicke H, Leng-Peschlow E. Characterisation of flavonoids from Baccharis trimera and their antihepatotoxic properties. Planta Med 1987;53:37-9.
  11. Simoes-Pires, C. A., Queiroz, E. F., Henriques, A. T., and Hostettmann, K. Isolation and on-line identification of antioxidant compounds from three Baccharis species by HPLC-UV-MS/MS with post-column derivatisation. Phytochem Anal. 2005;16(5):307-314.
  12. Mendes, F. R., Tabach, R., and Carlini, E. A. Evaluation of Baccharis trimera and Davilla rugosa in tests for adaptogen activity. Phytother Res 2007;21(6):517-522.
  13. de Araújo GR, Rabelo AC, Meira JS, et al. Baccharis trimera inhibits reactive oxygen species production through PKC and down-regulation p47 (phox) phosphorylation of NADPH oxidase in SK Hep-1 cells. Exp Biol Med (Maywood). 2017;242(3):333-343.
  14. Rabelo ACS, de Pádua Lúcio K, Araújo CM, et al. Baccharis trimera protects against ethanol induced hepatotoxicity in vitro and in vivo. J Ethnopharmacol. 2018;215:1-13.