IngredientsCuphea carthagenensis (Jacq.) J. F. MacBr. is a Brazilian native medicinal plant, commonly known as sete-sangrias or erva-de-sangue. The genus Cuphea P. Browne (family Lythraceae) is a monophyletic taxon comprising some 240â260 species that grow wild in the warm, temperate, and tropical regions of South and Central America and the southern part of North America. Cuphea is the largest of the 32 genera of the Lythraceae family, with about 260 species; members are herbaceous perennial small shrubs, native to warm-temperate to tropical regions.
In Portuguese, the plant is also called Guanxuma-Vermelha, Balsamona, Chiagari, Cuféa, and Erva-de-Sangue; in Spanish it is known as Siete Sangrias. Botanical synonyms include Balsamona pinto Vand., Cuphea balsamona Cham. & Schltdl., Cuphea divaricata Pohl ex Koehne, Cuphea elliptica Koehne, Cuphea peplidioides Martel ex Koehne, Cuphea pinto Koehne, Lythrum carthagenense Jacq., Parsonsia balsamona (Cham. & Schltdl.) Standl., and Parsonsia pinto (Vand.) A. Heller.
The botanical literature clarifies that Cuphea carthagenensis is the plant originally and most correctly known as sete-sangrias. There is a recognized confusion with another species, Symplocos platyphylla (Pohl) Benth., of the family Symplocaceae, known as "sete-sangrias-de-ĂĄrvore." Additionally, some regional usages in South America have assigned the common name "sete sangrias" to Curatella americana or Cuphea balsamona, depending on the region. This document focuses on the primary and most scientifically documented species, Cuphea carthagenensis.
Cuphea carthagenensis's native range extends from Mexico to tropical America. It is an annual or subshrub and grows primarily in the wet tropical biome. It occurs naturally in Central and Southern America and is sometimes considered a weed. Cuphea carthagenensis (Lythraceae), popularly known as sete sangrias, is found in Brazil, Hawaii, and the South Pacific Islands. The plant's primary diversity nucleus is in the Brazilian mountains, with a secondary nucleus in Central America.
In terms of morphology, C. carthagenensis is a small herbaceous plant measuring 20 to 50 cm in height, with a reddish stem completely covered by trichomes, simple and opposite leaves, and lilac flowers arranged in leaf axils. Species of Cuphea are an important source of seed lipids rich in short and medium chain fatty acids.
The ethnopharmacological literature recommends its use in the form of tea (infusion), syrup, and alcoholic extract for oral administration, as well as in local compresses, depending on the intended purpose. In Brazil, some species of Cuphea are widely used in folk medicine, and the whole plant is used as a tea, syrup, or water-alcoholic extract that is orally ingested. The scientific name most commonly identified in the Brazilian supplement marketplace is Cuphea carthagenensis, with leaves being the primary part utilized. Its use in children is not indicated in the traditional ethnopharmacological literature.
The name "sete sangrias" means "seven bleedings," reflecting its historical association with purifying and balancing the blood.
Cuphea species have been valued as traditional medicinal remedies for numerous indications, including treating wounds, parasitic infections, hypertension, digestive disorders, cough, rheumatism, and pain. Cuphea carthagenensis is widely used in traditional medicine to treat diarrhoea, arterial hypertension, rheumatism, fever, hypercholesterolemia, and palpitations.
Traditionally, indigenous and rural communities harnessed sete sangrias for its therapeutic qualities, especially in treating hypertension, high cholesterol, and inflammatory disorders. For centuries, herbalists brewed sete sangrias leaves into teas and decoctions to address various ailments. These remedies were used to lower blood pressure, support cardiovascular health, and alleviate symptoms of liver and kidney dysfunction. The plant was also employed to soothe fevers, skin eruptions, and as a mild diuretic and anti-inflammatory agent.
In native countries, the plants of this species are collected and used as antiprotozoal agents, blood purifiers, diuretics, emmenagogues, hypotensives, laxatives, purgatives, and remedies for viral diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and menstruation problems. In the folk medicinal system, it is also used as a decoction to treat fever, constipation, vaginal infections, relieve menstrual pain, and edema.
Published ethnobotanical surveys of the Northeast Brazilian region specifically document sete-sangrias (Evolvulus gypsophiloides Moric., in some regional identifications) as being used via decoction or infusion of a handful of the whole plant in a liter of water, indicated against renal lithiasis. This illustrates the extent of regional variation in how the common name is applied, underscoring the importance of botanical verification.
Against high blood pressure, the traditional method in Brazil is to pour boiling water (200 mL, approximately one cup) over a dessert spoon of dried plant material (leaves and flowers), cover and steep for approximately 10 minutes, strain, and drink three cups per day without sweetening. When the stem is used, it is boiled directly in the water for 5 minutes.
Sete sangrias's longstanding role as a "blood cleanser" made it a staple in folk medicine, and it is frequently included in herbal blends with other traditional botanicals such as chapéu-de-couro, dandelion, and boldo, combinations thought to amplify support of metabolic, circulatory, and hepatic health.
Infusions and decoctions of the aerial parts have also been used orally for the prevention and control of bovine mastitis.
Cuphea carthagenensis stands out due to its wide range of specialized natural products, including tannins, flavonoids, triterpenes, sterols, aromatic acids, carbohydrates, unsaturated fatty acids, and alkanes. The crude extract contains mucilages, saponins, volatile oil (essential oil), pigments, tannins, and flavonoids.
Recent phytochemical studies of Cuphea have shown that these plants are a rich source of various polyphenolic compounds: flavonoids, tannins, phenolic acids, and their derivatives, which are responsible for the hypotensive, antiparasitic, antiviral, and cytotoxic activity of Cuphea extracts.
The main flavonoids found in C. carthagenensis extracts have been isolated and identified as quercetin derivatives. These include quercetin-5-O-ÎČ-glucopyranoside, quercetin-3-O-α-arabinofuranoside, and quercetin-3-sulfate, which are present in both aqueous and ethanolic extracts and their derived fractions.
Chemical analysis by UHPLCâMS/MS has revealed a predominance of glycosylated flavonoids, particularly quercetin, kaempferol, and myricetin, in addition to a high total phenolic content (41.17 ± 0.98 ”g GAE gâ»Âč). In total, 26 polyphenolic compounds have been proposed via UHPLC-MS, mostly derived from quercetin, myricetin, and kaempferol, with ten compounds described in the genus for the first time.
The ethanolic extract from leaves accumulates a higher phenolic content (212.98 ± 0.13 ”g GAE/mg) than that obtained from flowers (188.25 ± 0.12 ”g GAE/mg). Both alcoholic and aqueous leaf extracts show higher flavonoid content than the flower extracts.
Phytochemical analysis has demonstrated the presence of the triterpene carthagenol, as well as proanthocyanidins, tannins, and quercetin glycosylates. Carthagenol is considered a characteristic marker constituent of C. carthagenensis.
In vitro vasodilation studies on pre-contracted rat aortic rings have shown that all assayed preparations except the aqueous extract elicited vasodilatation. Polynomial regression analysis demonstrated a relationship between vasodilating activity and the contents of flavonoids (rÂČ = 0.5190), proanthocyanidins (rÂČ = 0.8016), tannins (rÂČ = 0.8041), and total phenolics (rÂČ = 0.6226), suggesting the participation of these compounds in the pharmacological effect and their potential use as chemical markers for the species.
Study findings suggest that the ACE-inhibiting potential may be increased by the interactions among the different phytoconstituents present in the crude extract. These results corroborate the popular usage of the Cuphea genus as a diuretic and antihypertensive agent in folk medicine.
A 2018 preclinical study explored cardiorenal protection. Schaedler et al. reported that redox regulation and NO/cGMP plus Kâș channel activation contribute to cardiorenal protection induced by Cuphea carthagenensis in ovariectomized hypertensive rats (Phytomedicine, 2018).
The chemical composition of Cuphea spp. is predominantly polyphenols, related to therapeutic use especially as antioxidant, antimicrobial, antitumoral, anti-inflammatory, and antihypertensive agents.
Traditionally, Cuphea has been widely used for the treatment of cardiovascular disorders, including arterial hypertension and heart diseases. The ethanolic extract of the aerial parts of Cuphea carthagenensis has demonstrated ACE inhibition and vasorelaxant activities.
A key in vitro screening study of the Brazilian flora for antihypertensive plants (Braga et al., 2000, Phytomedicine) identified the in vitro ACE inhibitory activity of an ethanolic leaf extract of C. carthagenensis. This was replicated in subsequent UHPLC-MS work, where leaf extracts from different Cuphea species collected from several regions of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, were analyzed for ACE inhibition; 26 polyphenolic compounds were identified, and C. carthagenensis showed an ACE-inhibiting activity of 26.12%, with miquelianin being the most potent single compound identified (32.41%).
A preclinical study in ovariectomized hypertensive rats demonstrated that an aqueous extract of C. carthagenensis significantly reduced blood pressure levels and renal and vascular changes. Furthermore, the n-butanolic fraction obtained from the extract at doses of 10 and 100 mg/kg was able to induce a hypotensive response after 2 hours of oral administration. All evidence in this area remains preclinical (in vitro and animal models); no controlled human trials on blood pressure reduction have been published for this species.
Although Cuphea carthagenensis is used in Brazilian folk medicine for the treatment of atherosclerosis and circulatory disorders, the aim of one study (Barboza et al., 2016) was to evaluate the possible hypolipidemic and antiatherogenic activity of the ethanol soluble fraction of C. carthagenensis (ES-CC) in an experimental atherosclerosis model using New Zealand rabbits undergoing a cholesterol-rich diet (CRD). Dyslipidemia and atherogenesis were induced by a standard diet increased with 1% cholesterol for 8 weeks. ES-CC was orally administered at doses of 10, 30, and 100 mg/kg, once daily for four weeks, starting from the 4th week of CRD.
An earlier preclinical study (Biavatti et al., 2004, Journal of Ethnopharmacology) investigated the effects of aqueous extracts on rats fed a high-calorie diet. The herb Cuphea carthagenensis (Sete-sangrias) is traditionally used in the South of Brazil to treat high levels of cholesterol and triglycerides, and the effects of its aqueous extracts were investigated in rats fed on a high-calorie diet. The biochemical analysis of animals treated with Sete-sangrias aqueous extract showed no effect on glucose and triglyceride levels, while chronic treatment induced a significant reduction in total plasma cholesterol. The study population consisted of 16 animals per group, making it a small-scale preliminary animal study; results are not directly transferable to humans.
Preclinical studies have cumulatively reported vasodilatory, antiatherosclerotic, and hypocholesterolemic effects. The hypocholesterolemic effect and radical scavenger activities of the crude extract and fractions obtained from C. carthagenensis have also been reported. Overall evidence in this domain is limited to in vitro and animal models only.
Despite its phytochemical diversity, in vitro antioxidant ability has been evaluated using ABTSâąâș radical scavenging, DPPH radical scavenging, and Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) assays. These represent standard in vitro antioxidant screening methods; no human clinical data are available on antioxidant outcomes.
The plant is known for its potential antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, attributed to its triterpenes, flavonoids, and tannins. The body of evidence on antioxidant activity is exclusively in vitro and preliminary.
The inhibitory potential of C. carthagenensis against the α-glucosidase enzyme had not previously been explored until recent work. α-Glucosidase inhibition is a recognized mechanism for slowing postprandial glucose absorption and is the basis for the antidiabetic drug acarbose. Chemical analysis of the hydroalcoholic extract revealed a predominance of glycosylated flavonoids, particularly quercetin, kaempferol, and myricetin. This represents an area of early-stage preclinical inquiry; no human clinical evidence is available.
Ethnomedicinal plants as potent antibiofilm agents are gaining interest as drug resistance increases. In this context, the methanol extract of Cuphea carthagenensis (CCMD) was evaluated as an antibiofilm and anti-quorum sensing (QS) agent against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The antibiofilm activity was demonstrated at different concentrations using Tissue Culture Plate and Test Tube methods and microscopic techniques. The effect was evaluated on QS and QS-related virulence factors, including pyocyanin, exopolymeric substance matrix (EPS), total protease, elastase, pyoverdin, and swimming motility.
In a separate in vitro study examining several Brazilian medicinal plants against bacteria involved in mastitis, sete-sangrias was found to be active against both Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella choleraesuis. Water extract of the species has exhibited activity against some bacteria. All antimicrobial evidence is from in vitro studies; clinical evidence is absent.
Although Cuphea carthagenensis infusions are used in Brazilian folk medicine due to their possible diuretic effect, the species has not been critically investigated as a diuretic drug until recently. It was shown, for the first time in one pharmacological study, that the pharmacological effects of the ethanol-soluble fraction obtained from Cuphea carthagenensis do not support its popular use as a diuretic agent. This discordance between traditional use and experimental findings is notable. Despite this finding, the plant is still reported as acting as a diuretic and diaphoretic in some sources, having been traditionally used to treat arterial hypertension, arteriosclerosis, and other cardiovascular disorders.
Pharmacological studies have evaluated, among other activities, cardiorenal protection by redox regulation and NO/cGMP plus Kâș channel activation. Modern pharmacological research provides data that support many of the traditional uses of Cuphea species. The wide array of medicinal applications may be due to the exceptionally rich phytochemical profile, which includes bioactive compounds such as polyphenols, triterpenes, alkaloids, and coumarins. Anti-inflammatory claims for C. carthagenensis specifically remain supported only by in vitro and animal-model data.
Aerial parts of C. carthagenensis are used in the treatment of high levels of cholesterol and triglycerides, which has led to investigation of its potential role in weight management. The Biavatti et al. (2004) animal study examined body weight, cholesterol, triglycerides, and glycemia in rats on a high-calorie diet; no significant weight effect was demonstrated in that model. No human clinical data on body weight are available.
No standardized or approved human clinical dosage has been established for Cuphea carthagenensis. The following dosages are derived strictly from the published research and traditional sources identified, and are presented for reference only:
No randomized, placebo-controlled human clinical trials establishing safe or effective dosage ranges in humans have been identified in the peer-reviewed literature as of the date of this article.
Despite the widespread use of Cuphea carthagenensis by the population, its long-term antihypertensive and cardioprotective activities â and by extension, its long-term safety profile â have not yet been scientifically evaluated in formal human studies.
The ethnopharmacological literature specifically notes that use in children is not indicated.
In Brazil, Cuphea carthagenensis is sold as a medicinal plant product. Under Brazilian Federal Law No. 5,991/1973, it is classified as a medicinal plant exempt from ANVISA registration and notification.
A documented risk concerns nomenclature: the name "sete-sangrias" has been applied to more than one distinct botanical species, including the morphologically and pharmacologically different Symplocos platyphylla (Pohl) Benth. from the Symplocaceae family ("sete-sangrias-de-ĂĄrvore"). This misidentification risk represents a practical safety concern for consumers and practitioners. Furthermore, the name is also regionally applied to Curatella americana and Evolvulus gypsophiloides, meaning that products labeled "sete sangrias" may contain distinct botanical ingredients with different phytochemical profiles.
Given preclinical evidence of ACE-inhibitory and hypotensive activity, the potential for additive effects with antihypertensive medications is mechanistically plausible. Pharmacological studies have evaluated ACE-inhibiting activity, vasodilative activity, and cardiorenal protection. However, this interaction has not been documented or quantified in human studies.
The plant is used in traditional practice as an emmenagogue, suggesting possible effects on uterine function. This has not been investigated in formal human or animal reproductive toxicology studies.
Most quantitative studies provide data on total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content in extracts and fractions. The results obtained by different research groups vary considerably; these differences are mainly due to the study of different species and different parts of the plants, as well as the use of different extraction solvents. This means that standardization of commercially available products is an unresolved issue. For ethanol extraction, different conditions result in a wide range of TPC values, from 7.64 to 42.16 mg GAE/g. The highest level of phenolics was recovered when extraction was carried out at 56°C, for 110 minutes, in a 50:50 water/ethanol ratio.
Modern pharmacological research provides data that support many traditional uses of Cuphea species. However, virtually all pharmacological evidence for C. carthagenensis is derived from in vitro experiments and animal models. Scientific investigation into sete sangrias is still in its early stages, with limited but preliminary research highlighting its potential benefits. Laboratory studies suggest the presence of bioactive compounds that may exhibit antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Larger, rigorously designed clinical trials are needed to validate findings and establish clear health benefits or safety parameters in humans.
Health conditions that Sete sangrias may help support.
Body systems that Sete sangrias may help support.
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