Quassia, Picrasma

Quassin is a bitter-tasting substance that can be extracted from the quassia tree (bitter tree, Picrasma quassioides Benn).156 It is said to be the most bitter substance found in nature. Quassin is used in traditional Chinese medicine. Besides quassin, modified triterpenes, the so-called quassinoid, are the principal component of the bitter taste. 

JNeoquassin (= JNigakihemi- Picrasma spp., Quassia amara Bitter... 

SimarubacecB or Ailanthus Family.—A family of chiefly tropical shrubs or trees containing bitter principles. The leaves are alternate and pinnate. The flowers are dioecious or polygamous and arranged in axillary panicles Picrasma excelsa) or racemes Quassia amara). The plants are distinguished from those of the Rutacea by the absence of secretory cavities. 

Botanical origin Picrasma excelsa Quassia amara... 

Derivation The wood or bark of Picrasma excelsa or Quassia amara. 

QUASSIA, Quassiac lignum L. is the wood from Quassia amara L., or Picrasma excelsa Planchon, family Simarubaceae. (Fig. 8)... 

Quassia amara and Picrasma excelsa, native species of the tropics, primarily of South America and the West Indies, and other shrubby trees contain bitter substances toxic to sucking insects. In plant protection practice an aqueous extract is prepared from Quassia chips ( quassia ) at the site of application. Since the active substance decompose in water the aqueous extract is sprayed immediately after appropriate dilution. 

Quasslae lignum Quassia wood Quassia amara L. SURINAM Picrasma excelsa PLANCH. Simarubaceae MD Secotriterpenes (simariibalides) -0.25% quassin, neoquassin and 18-hydroxy-quassin (0.1%-0J.5%). Bl of the drug, 40000-50000 Bl of quassin/neoquassin, 17 x 10 Fig. 10... 

Picrasma exceisa (Sw ) Planch, or of Quassia amara L., Simaroubaceae. The first is known in commerce as Jamaica quassia, the second as Surinam quassia. Habit. Picrasma txelsa inhabits Jamaica and the Caribbeen Islands Quassia amara is a native of Brazil and Guiana and is cultivated in Colombia, Panama, and the West Indies. Quassin and neo quassin are the bitter principles of Surinam quassia picras-min, that of Jamaica quassia. These bitter pinctples are obtained in yields of 0.1-0.296 and appear commercially under the name of quassin. 

Since then, seven more C25 quassinoids have been discovered Odyendane (215) and odyendene (216) from the Odyendea gabonensis [90], klaineanolide A (217) and B (218) from the Hannoa klaineana [61], indaquassin F (219) from the Quassia indica [80], javanicinoside E (220) isolated from the Picrasma javanica [76] and the new epimer from simarolide (221) [91],... 

QuassMoids). A group of structurally complex tri-terpenes with various tetra- and pentacyclic C -, C -, C20-, and C25-skeleton. The C2o picra ane system is the most widely distributed. Q. occur principally in the wood of the tree Quassia amara indigenous to Brazil and Surinam as well as the Caribbean Picrasma ex-celsa (Simaroubaceae). They have antifeedant effects on insects and taste very bitter. The most important representative of the Q. is quassia (2,12-dimethoxy-picrasa-2,12-diene-1,11,16-trione, nigakilactone D) C22H28O6, Mr 388.46, mp. 221-222 °C, [aJo +34.5° (CHCI3) - a partially hydrogenated phenanthiene derivative. 

Picramide. See 2,4,6-Trinitroaniline Picraminic acid. See 2-Amino-4,6-dinitrophenol Picrasa-1,12-diene-1,11,16-trione, 2,12-dimethoxy-. SeeQuassin Picrasma excelsa. See Quassia Picric acid... 

Synonyms Bitter ash Bitter wood Picrasma excelsa Quassia amara Definition Wood of Picrasma exceisa or Quassia amara, contg. bitter principle quassin Properties YIsh-wh. to bright yel. chips or fibrous coarse grains, si. odor, very bitter taste Uses Natural flavoring agent in foods and pharmaceuticals bitter tonic medicine (anthelmintic) extract as fly poison on flypaper surrogate for hops hair lotion alcohol denaturant... 

Atlantis dC18 (100 mm X 4.6 mm, 5 pm) Methanol-water (40 60) 255 nm, LC/MS Quassia excels, Picrasma quassioides Quassin, two isomers of neoquassin [96]... 

Under the name of quassia or quassia wood Quassiae lignum), two indiscriminate species were then sold in Europe Quassia amara (mainly root, wood and stems) and Picrasma excelsa (Sw.) Planch, (formerly Picraena excelsa (Sw.) Lindley) or Jamaican quassia (trunk wood) [17,18, 20]. Quassia wood was initially used as an antiseptic, for meat preservation and as antipyretic. But because of its bitter principles its main recommendation was as a digestive and tonic [17, 21]. Q. amara was rapidly registered in various European pharmacopoeias, alone or with other Simaroubaceae species with the same reputation, such as Picrasma excelsa or Simarouba amara Aubl. [22-25]. The reputation of quassia wood then spread to the United States, where the medicinal use of cups mostly made of Q. amara wood became popular [26]. Meanwhile, a few Simaroubaceae were registered in North American official pharmaceutical documents, such as the King s American Dispensatory [27] or the United States Dispensatory [28]. 

Ailanthus altissima, Brucea antidysenterica, Picrasma excelsa. Quassia africana. Quassia undulata, Simaba cedron, and Simarouba amara are also used as anthelmintics. 

Lastly, three Simaroubaceae species are described as antivenom Brucea antidysenterica. Quassia amara, and Simaba cedron, with a veiy strong convergence of use for the cotyledons of Simaba cedron seeds in South America). Brucea antidysenterica, Brucea javanica, Eurycoma longifolia. Quassia undulata, and Picrasma javanica are known as antidotes to food poisoning or other types poisoning. Central nervous system troubles, such as dementia, nervousness, and epilepsy, and alcohol addiction are treated with preparations of Ailanthus altissima. Quassia undulata, Simarouba amara, or Picrasma excelsa. 

Source Picrasma exceka (Sw.) Planch, and Quassia amara L. (Family Simaroubaceae). 

Picrasma excelsa is a tree with a trunk diameter of 0.5-1 m up to about 25 m high native to the West Indies and growing in Jamaica and other Caribbean Islands. Quassia amara is a shrub or small tree up to about 3 mhigh native to northern South America and growing in Surinam, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, and other tropical American countries. Part used is the wood. 

Hikino, H., T. Ohta, and T. Takemoto Picrasins, Simaroubolides of Japanese Quassia Tree Picrasma Quassinoides. Phythochemistry 14, 2473 (1975). 

Nestler, T., G. Tittel, and H. Wagner Quantitative Bestimmung der Bitter Quassinoide von Quassia amara und Picrasma excelsa. Planta Medica 38, 204 (1980). 

---