Lipstick tree

The Scientific name of the Lipstick tree: Bixa orellana

Family :  Bixaceae

Name of Lipstick tree in different languages:

English: Annatto plant, Aploppas, Achiote

Hindi: लटकन Latkan, Sinduriya

Malayalam: Kurangumanjal കുരങ്ങുമഞ്ഞൾ, Kuppamanjal.

Sanskrit :  Sinduri

Tamil :  Sappira virai, Uragumanjal

Useful plant parts:

Leaf, flower, powder of seeds and leaf, oil

Plant description of Lipstick tree:

Bixa orellana- lipstick tree is a fruiting shrub, that grows up to 20 feet tall. Leaves are large 5 to 15 cm long, 4 to 11 cm broad, pointed, and dark green. Flowers are pink, and 5 cm broad; occur in clusters with five petals above the foliage, flowering starts in October to December. Fruit are spiny, ovoid, red, and 2.5 to 5 cm long, Seeds contained in the pod contain 500 seeds inside, ovate, with a scarlet covering.

Medicinal uses:

leaves used to treat malaria and Leishmaniasis, blood purifiers, jaundice, in dysentery, and used against intermittent fevers, gonorrhea, and dysentery. Annatto dye used for coloring edible material

Chemical content:

Bixin, Norbixin, Methylbixin, Tomentosic acid, Bixa ghanene, Bisulphates of Apigenin, Luteolin, Hypolaetin, Ishwarane (in seed oil). Seeds: Methyl 9’ Z-apo- 6’- lycopenoate, Apocarotenoid-bixin, Norbixin, Methyl bixin. Leaves: Bixaghanene (Ishwarane)

Medicinal Properties:

diuretic, laxative, astringent agents, antibilious, antiemetic

Propagation : 

Seeds