| Boldo | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Magnoliids |
| Order: | Laurales |
| Family: | Monimiaceae |
| Genus: | Peumus Molina |
| Species: | P. boldus |
| Binomial name | |
| Peumus boldus Molina | |
| Synonyms | |
Ruizia fragransRuiz & Pav. | |
Peumus boldus, commonly known asboldo (from theMapuche namefoḻo), is aspecies of tree in thefamilyMonimiaceae and the only species in thegenusPeumus. It isendemic to the central region ofChile, between33° and40° southern latitude.[1][2] Boldo has also been introduced toEurope andNorth Africa, though it is not often seen outsidebotanical gardens.
Due to its common name, it is often confused with the speciesPlectranthus ornatus, known asfalso boldo ("false boldo"),boldo paraguayo orboldo rastrero, which has led to confusion about the uses, properties and toxicity of both species.
Boldo, together withlitre,quillay,peumo,bollén and other indigenous plants, is a characteristic component of thesclerophyllous forests endemic to central Chile. Its leaves, which have a strong, woody and slightly bitter flavor andcamphor-like aroma, are used for culinary purposes, primarily in Latin America. The leaves are used in a similar manner tobay leaves and are also prepared as aherbal tea, primarily in Chile andArgentina.
The edible fruits are smalldrupes about 2 centimeters in diameter, green in color and having a pleasant flavor. Though not well known outside their native range, boldo fruits, which appear between December and February, are very tasty, nutritious, small, green, edible spheres. Boldo's assertive flavor comes primarily from the presence of the chemicalascaridole, which is also present in theepazote plant.
In Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, and Paraguay, boldo is mixed withyerba mate or other teas to moderate its flavor. Some families keep a boldo plant at home for this purpose, although boldoteabags are readily available in nearly all supermarkets.
Boldo and plants with similar properties are widely used as mildfolk medicine in various South American countries in both urban and rural areas, even among people who do not usually drinkherbal teas other thanmate beverage. In Brazilianpharmacopoeia, boldo is an officially listedphytotherapeutic plant, as acholagogue andcholeretic used for treatment of milddyspepsia.[3]
Boldo is in the familyMonimiaceae, which is closely related to the familyLauraceae (which includes many other plants used for their aromatic leaves, such ascinnamon,cassia,bay leaf, andcamphor laurel).
Boldo leaves have a slightly bitter, soft flavor and a bit of a rough, coniferous taste when brewed in tea. They are used as a culinary herb to spice many savory dishes including fish, mushrooms, and vegetables and as a component in sauces. In some local South American kitchens boldo leaves are also popular for wrapping frying fish and meat. Boldo fruits, when dried, are used to make spicy condiments.[4]
In 2009, the European Medicines Agency assessed boldo as follows:
Boldo leaf contains the alkaloidboldine. Boldo leaf also contains 2–4% of volatile oil. Major constituents reported as:ascaridole (16–38%),1,8-cineole (11–39%) andp-Cymene (9–29%).[5]Mariano, Xavier Maia; Souza, Wanderson Fernando Mello de (2019)."Bioactive volatile fraction of Chilean boldo (Peumus boldus Molina) – an overview".Journal of Essential Oil Research.31 (6):474–486.doi:10.1080/10412905.2019.1617797.S2CID 198351342. Retrieved2021-08-19. Ascaridole is highly toxic, and this raises concerns about the suitability of boldo leaf in traditional herbal medicinal products.
Abortifacient andteratogenic effects in rats were observed with very high doses (800 mg/kg) of a dryethanolic extract of boldine in the first days of pregnancy, not present at lower doses.[6]
Most investigations have been carried out using boldine.[citation needed]
Limited information is available on herbal preparations of boldo leaf and where studies have been reported, details of the preparations are usually lacking. There are no reported genotoxicity or carcinogenicity studies with herbal preparations of boldo leaf.
Boldo oil should not be used internally or externally. Where boldo leaf is used, the total exposure to ascaridole should be considered from a safety standpoint. The levels of ascaridole in herbal medicinal products should be quantified. In view of the low solubility of ascaridole in water, the use of aqueous extracts including herbal teas could be accepted.[medical citation needed] The use of ethanolic extracts of boldo leaf is not considered acceptable for traditional herbal medicinal products, in view of the potentially higher levels of the toxic ascaridole constituent.[6]