Roucou

Related Terms

Acetate, acetone, achiot (Spanish - Colombia), achiote (Spanish - Peru), achiote seeds, achiotillo, achiotin, annotta, annatto extract, annatto tree, aploppas, apocarotenoids, arnotta, arnotto (Native American), azo dyes, biche, bija, Bixa acuminata, Bixa americana, Bixa katangensis, Bixa odorata, Bixa orellana, Bixa platycarpa, Bixa purpurea, Bixa tinctoria, Bixa upatensis, Bixa urucurana, Bixaceae (family), bixin, brickdust, butter color, BXN, carotenoids, calcium sulfate, chalk, changuarica (Spanish - Mexico), colcothar, E160b, E number E160b, eroya, essential oil, false damiana, farinaceous matter, fat-soluble color, fatty acid, fiber, flag annotta, gypsum, ishwarane, jafara, kasujmba-kelling, kham thai, k'u-zub (Spanish - Mexico), lipstick tree, natural color, natural food color, norbixin, occidentalol, occidentalol acetate, ochre, onoto (Spanish - Venezuela), orellana, Orellana americana, orellin, orleana, Orleanstrauch (German), orucu-axiote, phosphoric acid, potassa, powdered bricks, pumacua (Mexico), red ochre, rocou (Dutch, French), roucou (French - Dominica and the French West Indies), roucouyer, ruku (Hungarian), sand, sand gypsum, silica, spathulenol, starchy bodies, sulfuric acid, terebinthinous body, tomentosic acid, UltrabixT, unane, urucu (Portuguese - Brazil), urucum (Portuguese), urucu-?va, uruku, water-soluble color, (Z,E)-farnesyl acetate.

Background

Annatto is a pigment, or dye, produced from the red seeds of the achiote (Bixa orellana) tree. Achiote is native to the tropics of North and South America, the Caribbean, and the East Indies. It is cultivated in South America and Southeast Asia. Annatto has long been a staple of Latin American and Caribbean cuisines as a flavoring and coloring agent. Annatto adds a slightly sweet and peppery taste and yellow or red color.
Achiote is known as the "lipstick tree" because the seeds have been used by Central and South American natives to make lip color, as well as body paint and fabric dye.
Achiote has been used as a traditional remedy for a variety of conditions, including diabetes, jaundice, snakebite, indigestion, heartburn, and hypertension (high blood pressure). All parts of the plant have been used, including the roots, leaves, seeds, and dried pulp of the fruit. Recently, annatto has been included as an ingredient in weight-loss products.

Evidence Table

These uses have been tested in humans or animals. Safety and effectiveness have not always been proven. Some of these conditions are potentially serious, and should be evaluated by a qualified healthcare provider. GRADE *
These uses have been tested in humans or animals. Safety and effectiveness have not always been proven. Some of these conditions are potentially serious, and should be evaluated by a qualified healthcare provider. GRADE *


Patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (noncancerous enlarged prostate gland) experienced no improvement following treatment with achiote compared with placebo. Additional high-quality clinical studies are needed before a firm conclusion can be made.
 D


Patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (noncancerous enlarged prostate gland) experienced no improvement following treatment with achiote compared with placebo. Additional high-quality clinical studies are needed before a firm conclusion can be made.
 D
* Key to grades

A: Strong scientific evidence for this use
B: Good scientific evidence for this use
C: Unclear scientific evidence for this use
D: Fair scientific evidence for this use (it may not work)
F: Strong scientific evidence against this use (it likley does not work)
* Key to grades

A: Strong scientific evidence for this use
B: Good scientific evidence for this use
C: Unclear scientific evidence for this use
D: Fair scientific evidence for this use (it may not work)
F: Strong scientific evidence against this use (it likley does not work)

Tradition / Theory

The below uses are based on tradition, scientific theories, or limited research. They often have not been thoroughly tested in humans, and safety and effectiveness have not always been proven. Some of these conditions are potentially serious, and should be evaluated by a qualified healthcare provider. There may be other proposed uses that are not listed below.

Dosing

Adults (18 years and older)
A typical dose of achiote is one to two grams of powdered leaf in tablets or capsules taken by mouth twice daily.
Tea made from achiote leaves or seeds has been taken by mouth by the half-cupful two to three times daily for prostate and urinary conditions, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure.
Two to four milliliters of a 4:1 tincture (alcohol extract), of achiote twice daily has been used, based on anecdotal evidence.
For urinary disorders (benign prostatic hyperplasia), capsules containing 250 milligrams of dried achiote leaf have been taken by mouth three times daily for 12 months.

Safety

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not strictly regulate herbs and supplements. There is no guarantee of strength, purity or safety of products, and effects may vary. You should always read product labels. If you have a medical condition, or are taking other drugs, herbs, or supplements, you should speak with a qualified healthcare provider before starting a new therapy. Consult a healthcare provider immediately if you experience side effects.

Interactions

Interactions with Drugs
Achiote may affect blood sugar levels. Caution is advised when using medications that may also affect blood sugar. Patients taking insulin or drugs for diabetes by mouth should be monitored closely by a qualified healthcare professional, including a pharmacist. Medication adjustments may be necessary.
Achiote may increase the risk of bleeding when taken with drugs that increase the risk of bleeding. Some examples include aspirin, anticoagulants ("blood thinners") such as warfarin (Coumadin?) or heparin, antiplatelet drugs such as clopidogrel (Plavix?), and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen (Motrin?, Advil?) or naproxen (Naprosyn?, Aleve?).
Achiote may cause low blood pressure. Caution is advised in patients taking drugs that lower blood pressure.
Achiote may increase the amount of drowsiness caused by some drugs. Examples include benzodiazepines such as lorazepam (Ativan?) or diazepam (Valium?), barbiturates such as phenobarbital, narcotics such as codeine, some antidepressants, and alcohol. Caution is advised while driving or operating machinery.
Achiote may interfere with the way the body processes certain drugs using the liver's "cytochrome P450" enzyme system. As a result, the levels of these drugs may change in the blood, and may cause increased or decreased effects or potentially serious adverse reactions. Patients taking any medication should check the package insert and speak with a qualified healthcare professional, including a pharmacist, about possible interactions.
Achiote may also interact with analgesics (painkillers), antibiotics, anticancer agents, antidiarrheals, antifungals, anti-inflammatory agents, antiprotozoals (agents used to treat infections by protozoal parasites), agents that cause changes in DNA, diuretics, and laxatives.

Attribution

This information is based on a systematic review of scientific literature edited and peer-reviewed by contributors to the Natural Standard Research Collaboration (www.naturalstandard.com).

Bibliography

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Dias VM, Pilla V, Alves LP, et al. Optical Characterization in Annatto and Commercial Colorific. J Fluoresc 2010;[Epub ahead of print].
Ebo DG, Ingelbrecht S, Bridts CH, et al. Allergy for cheese: evidence for an IgE-mediated reaction from the natural dye annatto. Allergy 2009;64(10):1558-60.
Evans WC. Annatto: a natural choice. Biologist (London) 2000;47(4):181-4.
Floch MH. Annatto, diet, and the irritable bowel syndrome. J Clin Gastroenterol 2009;43(10):905-6.
Giuliano G, Rosati C, Bramley PM. To dye or not to dye: biochemistry of annatto unveiled. Trends Biotechnol 2003;21(12):513-6.
J?nior AC, Asad LM, Oliveira EB, et al. Antigenotoxic and antimutagenic potential of an annatto pigment (norbixin) against oxidative stress. Genet Mol Res 2005;4(1):94-9.
Kang EJ, Campbell RE, Bastian E, et al. Invited review: Annatto usage and bleaching in dairy foods. J Dairy Sci 2010;93(9):3891-901.
Oboh G, Akomolafe TL, Adefegha SA, et al. Inhibition of cyclophosphamide-induced oxidative stress in rat brain by polar and non-polar extracts of Annatto () seeds. Exp Toxicol Pathol 2010 [Epub ahead of print].
Raga DD, Espiritu RA, Shen CC, et al. A bioactive sesquiterpene from . J Nat Med 2010;[Epub ahead of print].
Ribeiro LR, Mantovani MS, Ribeiro DA, et al. Brazilian natural dietary components (annatto, propolis and mushrooms) protecting against mutation and cancer. Hum Exp Toxicol 2006;25(5):267-72.
Rodrigues SM, Soares VL, de Oliveira TM, et al. Isolation and purification of RNA from tissues rich in polyphenols, polysaccharides, and pigments of annatto ( L.). Mol Biotechnol 2007;37(3):220-4.
Stein HL. Annatto and IBS. J Clin Gastroenterol 2009;43(10):1014-5.
Tibodeau JD, Isham CR, Bible KC. Annatto constituent cis-bixin has selective antimyeloma effects mediated by oxidative stress and associated with inhibition of thioredoxin and thioredoxin reductase. Antioxid Redox Signal 2010;13(7):987-97.
Zegarra L, Vaisberg A, Loza C, et al. Double-blind randomized placebo-controlled study of in patients with lower urinary tract symptoms associated to benign prostatic hyperplasia. Int Braz J Urol 2007;33(4):493-500; discussion 501.