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{{Taxobox
| color = lightgreen
| name = ''Mimosa tenuiflora''
| regnum = [[Plantae]]
| divisio = [[Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Magnoliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Fabales]]
| familia = [[Fabaceae]]
| subfamilia = [[Mimosoideae]]
| genus = ''[[Mimosa]]''
| species = '''''M. tenuiflora'''''
| binomial = ''Mimosa tenuiflora''
| binomial_authority = ([[Willd.]]) [[Poir.]]<ref>[http://www.ildis.org/LegumeWeb?sciname=Acacia+tenuiflora ILDIS LegumeWeb]</ref>
| synonyms =
* ''Acacia hostilis'' [[Mart.]]
* ''Acacia tenuiflora'' Willd.
* ''Mimosa cabrera'' [[H. Karst.]]
* ''Mimosa hostilis'' ([[C. Mart.]]) [[Benth.]]
* ''Mimosa limana'' [[Rizzini]]
}}

== Description ==
'''''Mimosa tenuiflora''''' is a perennial evergreen shrub native to the northeastern region of [[Brazil]], and is found as far north as southern [[Mexico]]. It is one of many ''[[Mimosa]]'' species.

The white, fragrant [[flower]]s occur in loosely cylindrical spikes. The [[fern]]-like branches have [[Leaf|leaves]] that are finely pinnate, growing to 5 cm long. The brittle [[fruit]]s average 3 cm long. The plant itself grows to 4 meters in height.

== Uses ==
=== Entheogenic uses ===
The root bark is often the most desired part of the plant; it contains the highest recorded concentration of [[tryptamine]]s, such as [[Dimethyltryptamine|DMT]] and other [[phytoindole]]s, and is traditionally used in the preparation of [[psychoactive]] sacramental beverage ([[ayahuasca]]) in the north eastern parts of Brazil.

Traditionally, the root bark is used without any [[Monoamine oxidase inhibitor|MAOI]] to render the DMT orally active, presenting some confusion to the modern pharmacological study of this plant's usage by indigenous groups in Brazil for religious purposes. In other words, it has been difficult to understand how DMT from this plant can be orally active in the sacramantal beverage Jurema (also Yurema). Without an MAOI, or another mechanism to allow orally ingested DMT to enter the brain, DMT is destroyed by this liver [[enzyme]] before it affects the [[central nervous system]]. To date, no [[harmala]] alkaloids or other beta-[[carbolines]] have been detected in ''M. hostilis''.

Recently, however, a new class of phytoindoles has been reported from ''M. hostilis'', which may help explain the apparent oral activity of DMT in Jurema.<ref>Vepsäläinen, J. J.; Auriola, S.; Tukiainen, M.; Ropponen, N. & Callaway, J. (2005). "Isolation and characterization of [[Yuremamine]], a new phytoindole". ''Planta Medica'' '''71'''(11): 1049-1053.</ref>

The root bark comes from the tree locally known as '''Jurema''', '''Jurema Preta''', '''Black Jurema''', and '''Vinho de Jurema'''; the traditional tea brewed from ''M. hostilis'' is also known as Jurema or '''Yurema'''.

=== Medicinal uses ===
Another completely unrelated use for this plant comes from [[Mexico]], where the bark of the tree is used under the name [[tepezcohuite]] as a remedy for skin problems and injuries such as burns, and it is now used in commercial skin and hair products which are promoted as being able to rejuvenite skin. Research has shown that it has some useful activities which support the traditional uses. The bark is rich in [[tannin]]s, [[saponin]]s, [[alkaloid]]s, [[lipid]]s, [[phytosterol]]s, [[glucoside]]s, [[xylose]], [[rhamnose]], [[arabinose]], [[lupeol]], [[methoxychalcone]]s, and [[kukulkanin]]s. ''In vitro'' studies on bacterial cultures have shown it is three times more effective as a bacteriocide than [[streptomycin]], although ''in vivo'' studies have not been as positive.

=== Other uses ===
The wood of the tree is also used in fence construction and for other purposes, such as a source for the plant growth hormone, [[gibberellic acid]]('''C'''19'''H'''22'''O'''6), which is known to cause exponential growth in plants and some flowering bodies of fungi.

==References==
<references/>

==See also==
* [[Dimethyltryptamine]]
==External links==
* [http://images.google.com/images?lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=Mimosa%20tenuiflora&um=1&sa=N&tab=wi ''Mimosa tenuiflora'' (Googl
e Images)]
* [http://www.erowid.org/plants/mimosa Erowid mimosa page]
* [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=11487939&query_hl=3&itool=pubmed_docsum Description, distribution, anatomy, chemical composition and uses of Mimosa tenuiflora(Fabaceae-Mimosoideae) in Mexico]
*[http://www.redpav-fpolar.info.ve/fagro/v13_14/v134m020.html ''Mimosa tenuiflora'' (Spanish) Article with good drawings]
[[Category:Mimosoideae]]
[[Category:Trees of Brazil]]
[[Category:Ayahuasca]]
[[Category:Entheogens]]
[[Category:Herbal and fungal hallucinogens]]
[[Category:Psychedelic tryptamine carriers]]
[[Category:Trees]]

Mimosa tenuiflora - Revision history

MediaWiki default at 04:54, 15 June 2007