Tynanthus panurensis

Tynanthus panurensis (Clavo Huasca): An Encyclopedic Reference

1. Identity, Taxonomy, and Botanical Description

Scientific Classification and Nomenclature

Tynanthus panurensis (Bureau) Sanwith, belonging to the family Bignoniaceae, is a liana vine native to the Amazon basin. Its accepted taxonomic synonyms include Schizopsis panurensis Bureau and Schizopsis panurensis Bureau ex Baill, with the currently accepted combination first published by Sandwith in Kew Bulletin 8: 465, 1954. Additional synonyms recorded in botanical literature include Tynanthus elegans and the misspelled form Tynnanthus panurensis.

Common names for this species are numerous: clavo huasca and clavohuasca (Spanish; literally "clove vine"), clove vine, white clove, cipó cravo, and cipó trindade (Portuguese/Brazilian). The name derives from the Spanish words "clavo" (clove or nail) and "huasca" (vine), referring to the rich clove-like scent of the trunk and leaves. Two distinct species of plants are sold in herbal commerce as "clavo huasca" — the true Tynanthus vine and another, completely different, Mandevilla genus vine, a distinction important to consumers and researchers alike.

Morphology and Physical Characteristics

Clavo huasca is a large, woody vine that grows up to 80 m in length and is indigenous to the Amazon rainforest and other parts of tropical South America. It is a climbing shrub that attaches itself to other plants by means of tendrils. It produces very small, white flowers (which are pollinated by bees and butterflies) and elongated, flat, bean-like fruits. The vine bark and root have a distinctive, clove-like aroma, earning its common names clove vine and white clove. When cross-sectioned, the vine has a distinctive "Maltese cross" design in the wood, with a darker, reddish color as the background and a golden color in the heartwood.

Geographic Range

The native range of this species spans from southern Colombia to northeastern Bolivia and northern Brazil, where it grows as a liana primarily in the wet tropical biome. Its distribution also includes Peru and Ecuador.

Parts Used

Parts used medicinally and commercially include vine wood, leaves, and roots. The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as both a condiment and a medicine. The bark is the most frequently studied plant part in the scientific literature, while the root resin is applied topically in some traditional practices.

Commercial and Preparation Forms

In modern commerce, T. panurensis is available in several preparation forms. The Amazonian vine's aromatic bark is traditionally prepared as an herbal tea. In traditional Amazonian medicine, it is often prepared as a decoction or infusion, with the vine's bark or roots steeped in hot water to extract its beneficial compounds. Alcoholic extractions are also a traditional form: pieces of roots and stems are macerated in aguardiente to make a stimulant liqueur used for rheumatism. In contemporary supplement markets, the bark is also supplied as a standardized tincture, a dried powder in capsules, and as shredded loose bark.

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2. Traditional and Historical Use

Indigenous Amazonian Traditions

Tynanthus panurensis has been used in traditional Amazonian medicine as a tonic and energizer as well as a treatment for rheumatism. T. panurensis has been used by the Shipibo-Conibo, Kayapo, and Assurini Indian tribes of the Amazon to increase sexual interest in both men and women. The Shipibo-Conibo, Kayapo, and Assurini tribes regard clavo huasca highly as an impotency remedy, for weak erections, and as an effective aphrodisiac for both men and women.

In the Peruvian Amazon, T. panurensis has been traditionally used as an aphrodisiac, energizing tonic, and analgesic, as well as for the treatment of rheumatism and diabetes. In Ecuador it is used in the treatment of arthritis, fever, impotence, myalgia, pain, and rheumatism, while in Peru it is used to treat arthritis, cancer, colds, backache, diabetes, fever, frigidity, impotence, myalgia, rheumatism, and toothache.

Brazilian Traditional Medicine

In Brazil, T. panurensis is used to treat dyspepsia, digestive complaints, and intestinal gas (by water infusion), and as an aphrodisiac (by alcohol extraction). The fresh resin released by the root is used to treat toothaches, likely due to the eugenol content, which is also found in high concentrations in clove.

Peruvian Folk Formulas

Clavo huasca (Tynanthus panurensis, Bignoniaceae) is an ingredient in two Latin American aphrodisiac formulas: rompe calzón ("bust your britches") and siete raíces ("seven roots"), both of which are soaked or macerated in wine or rum. There are only anecdotes for these herbal formulas; no clinical studies specifically examining these preparations exist.

Ayahuasca Traditions

Clavo huasca is used as an adjunctive ingredient in various ayahuasca recipes, or taken shortly after consuming the brew to settle the stomach. Ayahuasca is a phytochemically rich combination of plants brewed by indigenous shamans. Through a series of reactions among chemicals from several plants working together, a hallucinogenic plant extract is created; notably, clavo huasca itself is not a hallucinogen.

Preparation Methods in Traditional Practice

According to Tim Woodruff's 1995 ethnobotanical dictionary, clavo huasca "produces no hallucinations and is good for rheumatism and arthritis when cuttings from the stem are steeped in aguardiente." The vine tincture has also been used for fevers, arthritis, rheumatism, inflammation, aching muscles, to improve appetite, and as a digestive stimulant. The powder of the dried stem has been used as a spice in the same manner as cinnamon.

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3. Key Constituents and Active Compounds

Phenylpropanoid Glycosides

The most extensively characterized chemical constituents of T. panurensis bark are its phenylpropanoid glycosides. A phytochemical analysis of the methanol extract of Tynanthus panurensis bark led to the isolation of one new phenylpropanoid glycoside — eugenol-O-[β-D-xylopyranosyl-(1→5)-O-β-D-apiofuranosyl-(1→6)-O-β-D-glucopyranoside] — along with the known compounds verbascoside, isoverbascoside, and leucosceptoside, as well as the flavonoid apigenin 8-C-[β-D-xylopyranosyl-(1→6)-β-D-glucopyranoside], named katchimoside. Their structures were established by NMR and ESIMS experiments.

A quantitative study of the phenylpropanoid glycoside fraction of T. panurensis bark and of the hydroalcoholic extract prepared according to the traditional recipe was performed using high-performance liquid chromatography with positive electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. The novel eugenol derivative was found to be the most abundant phenylpropanoid glycoside in both dried bark (19.5 mg/g) and hydroalcoholic extract (0.24 mg/mL).

C-Glycosides

Chemical profiling of T. panurensis in a 2019 study identified C-glycosides as the main constituents of the species. A total of 41 compounds were detected in T. panurensis by chemical profiling analysis.

Eugenol and Essential Oil Fraction

The wood and leaves of T. panurensis smell strongly of clove (Syzygium aromaticum), bearing the Portuguese name "cipó cravo." This smell is largely due to the presence of the essential oil eugenol. Of the 15 recognized species of Tynanthus, only a few have detailed chemical information available; eugenol and its derivatives are found in the majority of species with a delineated phytochemical profile.

Phenols, Flavonoids, and Saponins

Phytochemical analysis of the bark extract shows the presence of saponins and a high concentration of phenols and flavonoids. These classes of compounds are thought to be primary contributors to the observed antioxidant activity of the plant.

Alkaloids

In preliminary phytochemical studies, Brazilian researchers discovered an alkaloid they named tinantina. Other phytochemicals identified in T. panurensis include additional alkaloids, phenylpropanoid glycosides, coumarins, anthraquinones, tannins, tannic acids, eugenol, and other essential oils and saponins. The alkaloid tinantina has been noted in the literature but has not yet been characterized through formal pharmacological studies as of available records.

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4. Mechanisms of Action

Antioxidant Activity

Phytochemical analysis established a high concentration of phenols and flavonoids in the bark extract. In vitro testing revealed that the extract has free radical–scavenging antioxidant properties and reduces microsomal lipid peroxidation. Phenolic compounds are efficient scavengers of free radicals and blockers of lipid peroxidation; they can chelate transition metals, thereby preventing the redox cycle of these metals.

Inhibition of Uric Acid Synthesis

In vitro testing of the bark extract revealed that it reduces uric acid synthesis. This effect is consistent with the activity of verbascoside — a confirmed constituent — against xanthine oxidase, the enzyme responsible for converting purines into uric acid, a mechanism relevant to the plant's traditional use in rheumatic and inflammatory conditions.

TNF-α Suppression

The bark extract was shown in vitro to reduce tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) production, a key pro-inflammatory cytokine. This mechanism is consistent with the presence of verbascoside, which has been studied in cell-line models for its anti-inflammatory signaling effects.

Anti-inflammatory Activity In Vivo

The anti-inflammatory properties of the bark extract were further confirmed in vivo using a rat carrageenan edema model, in which the extract exhibited potent activity. The extract pretreatment was able to significantly inhibit edema from the first hour until the end of the experiment, suggesting that several mechanisms are at play, including modulation of TNF-alpha and antioxidant actions addressing factors in both stages of inflammation.

Phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE5) Inhibition

Chemical profiling of traditional Peruvian male sexual enhancer preparations confirmed the presence of C-glycosides as main constituents of T. panurensis. At 200 µg/mL, the traditional preparations "Levántate Lázaro" and "Siete veces sin sacarla" inhibited phosphodiesterase-5 by 49.88% and 27.90%, respectively. From the individual crude drugs, low PDE5-inhibitory effect was found for extracts of T. panurensis alone, with high activity attributed primarily to co-ingredient C. angustifolia, which inhibited the enzyme by 89.37% and 81.32% at 200 and 100 µg/mL, respectively.

Eugenol-Mediated Mechanisms

The smell of clove in T. panurensis is largely due to eugenol. It is considered that the stronger the smell, the more eugenol is present, and the more eugenol there is, the more the plant will share the medicinal activities of eugenol. Eugenol has established analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial properties documented in the broader pharmacological literature, providing a plausible chemical basis for several of the plant's traditional uses.

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5. Scientific Evidence by Area of Use

5.1 Anti-inflammatory and Antioxidant Activity

Evidence type: In vitro and animal model studies.

The most rigorously investigated aspect of T. panurensis pharmacology is its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity. The 2011 study published in the Journal of Medicinal Food by Morales et al. was directly motivated by traditional Amazonian use of the plant as a tonic and treatment for rheumatism. Phytochemical analysis confirmed phenols, flavonoids, and saponins. In vitro testing demonstrated free radical–scavenging activity, reduced microsomal lipid peroxidation, reduced uric acid synthesis, and reduced TNF-α production. The anti-inflammatory effects were further confirmed in a rat carrageenan edema model, where the extract showed potent activity. These results were considered consistent with the rheumatism-related traditional uses of the plant.

Limitations: The Morales et al. (2011) study is the primary peer-reviewed pharmacological study directly on T. panurensis. The evidence is entirely pre-clinical (in vitro and rodent model). No human clinical trials on the anti-inflammatory effects of T. panurensis have been identified in the literature.

5.2 Sexual Enhancement and Aphrodisiac Activity

Evidence type: Ethnobotanical surveys, in vitro enzyme assay (multi-ingredient preparation), and a related-species animal study. No human clinical trials.

A 2019 study by Schmeda-Hirschmann et al., published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology, reported for the first time the chemical composition of crude drugs — including T. panurensis — used to prepare male sexual enhancer beverages in the Peruvian Amazon, where selected plants are macerated into sugar cane distillates to prepare alcoholic beverages intended to improve male sexual performance. The study characterized the chemical composition of the most-traded traditional male enhancer beverages, "Levántate Lazaro" and "Siete veces sin sacarla," as well as their inhibitory activity toward phosphodiesterase-5.

The traditional preparations used to improve sexual performance in the Peruvian Amazon showed PDE5-inhibitory activity overall. From the single crude drug extracts, low effect was found for T. panurensis alone. The study concluded that the traditional preparations acted as PDE5 inhibitors, with C. angustifolia as the most active constituent and some contribution from T. panurensis, and that results encourage additional animal model studies to confirm the male enhancer effect of the preparations.

Regarding the related species Tynanthus micranthus: a related species with a similar chemical makeup, T. micranthus, was found to provide specific support for sexual potency in mice, measured by mounting attempts. Researchers suggested that the high eugenol content may play a role in these effects, due to eugenol's documented vasodilating and smooth muscle relaxant properties. This data does not directly pertain to T. panurensis.

Studies have shown aphrodisiac activity in cloves (Syzygium aromaticum) and nutmeg (Myristica fragrans), plants with eugenol-rich essential oils similar to Tynanthus species. Despite this parallel, no study has directly related the aphrodisiac activity of Tynanthus species to their eugenol content.

Limitations: There have not been any clinical trials as yet on the efficacy of clavohuasca or its most abundant eugenol derivative as a medicine. The aphrodisiac reputation rests primarily on ethnobotanical reports and the pharmacological activity of multi-ingredient traditional preparations, where T. panurensis alone showed only low PDE5-inhibitory activity.

5.3 Analgesic and Dental Use

Evidence type: Ethnobotanical reports and mechanistic inference from eugenol pharmacology.

The fresh resin released from the root is used in traditional practice to treat toothaches, likely due to the eugenol content. Observers have noted that it has been used effectively for toothache, being described as similar to, and probably chemically similar to, clove oil. No formal clinical trials on analgesic applications in humans have been conducted specifically for T. panurensis.

5.4 Digestive and Carminative Applications

Evidence type: Ethnobotanical reports only.

In Brazil, T. panurensis is used to treat dyspepsia, digestive complaints, and intestinal gas, prepared as a water infusion. The plant has been described ethnobotanically as analgesic, antioxidant, antiradicular, aphrodisiac, carminative, digestive, febrifuge, orexigenic, stimulant, tonic, and vermifuge. No in vitro or clinical data supporting the digestive applications specifically have been identified in peer-reviewed sources.

5.5 Antimicrobial Potential

Evidence type: Preliminary, unconfirmed reports.

Eugenol has been found to be synergistic with many antibiotics due to its membrane-damaging properties. Hydrophilic antibiotics can be ineffective on gram-negative bacteria; however, bacteria pretreated with eugenol and then exposed to antibiotics show a much higher kill rate. This suggests that eugenol-containing plants like T. panurensis might be a useful adjunctive therapy to reduce antibiotic dosage and toxicity and to increase effectiveness against resistant bacteria. These findings, however, are mechanistic inferences based on eugenol chemistry rather than direct studies of T. panurensis preparations.

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6. Body Systems and Health Areas of Association

• Musculoskeletal / Rheumatic System: The plant has been traditionally used for rheumatism, and the in vitro and animal data on anti-inflammatory and uric acid–reducing properties provide biological plausibility for this use.
• Reproductive / Sexual Health: Indigenous tribes regard clavo huasca highly as an impotency remedy, for weak erections, and as an effective aphrodisiac for both men and women.
• Digestive System: Traditional Amazonian and Brazilian use encompasses treatment of dyspepsia, digestive complaints, and intestinal gas.
• Oral / Dental Health: The root resin has been applied to treat toothaches in traditional practice.
• Circulatory System: Indigenous peoples and local herbalists have used it as a tonic for its purported circulatory and anti-inflammatory benefits, with stems and bark prepared in infusions or decoctions to support circulation and alleviate fatigue and poor peripheral circulation. This traditional use is based on empirical knowledge passed down through generations rather than clinical research.
• Immune / Inflammatory Axis: Inhibition of TNF-α and reduction in lipid peroxidation demonstrated in vitro connect the plant's chemistry to immune-modulatory pathways.

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7. Dosage Forms and Reported Dosages

Formal clinical dosage recommendations do not exist for T. panurensis, as no human clinical trials establishing dose-response relationships have been published. The following dosage information is drawn from commercial and traditional sources only:

• Tincture (1:4 concentrated extract): Traditional use guidance specifies 30–60 drops of a 1:4 concentrated tincture extract taken 1–2 times daily.
• Bark tea / infusion: The shredded bark is added to a cup or teapot, hot water is poured over it, and it is covered and left to steep for 10–15 minutes before straining. Stronger preparations traditionally use a gentle decoction rather than a simple infusion.
• In the 2011 Morales et al. pharmacological study: Bark was sourced from a traditional market in Iquitos, Peru, and extracted to produce a hydroalcoholic extract used for in vitro and in vivo assays; specific extract concentrations were used in the laboratory models but do not translate to defined human doses.
• In the 2019 Schmeda-Hirschmann et al. PDE5 study: The traditional preparations were tested at 200 µg/mL for PDE5 inhibition in a cell-free enzymatic assay. This is an in vitro concentration, not a human dose.
• Phytochemical reference quantity: The novel eugenol glycoside derivative is present in dried bark at a concentration of 19.5 mg/g and in the hydroalcoholic extract at 0.24 mg/mL.

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8. Safety Considerations and Drug Interactions

State of Safety Evidence

While the available studies are encouraging, more extensive clinical trials are necessary to fully understand the efficacy and safety of clavo huasca for various health conditions. No systematic toxicology studies, acute or chronic toxicity assessments, or formal safety trials in humans have been published specifically for T. panurensis. The safety profile is therefore largely unknown from a clinical standpoint.

Species Misidentification Risk

Two species of plants are sold in herbal commerce as "clavo huasca" — the true Tynanthus vine and another, completely different, Mandevilla genus vine. This creates a meaningful quality and safety concern for consumers, as the Mandevilla genus encompasses species with different chemical profiles.

Drug Interactions

As of the most recent traditional use records compiled by Leslie Taylor, no specific drug interactions have been formally reported for clavo huasca. However, clavo huasca may interact with certain medications, particularly those affecting blood pressure or blood sugar levels, based on the known pharmacology of its constituent compounds, including eugenol. No mechanism-based or clinical interaction data specific to T. panurensis preparations are available in the peer-reviewed literature.

Use in Pregnancy and Lactation

Due to limited research, pregnant or breastfeeding women should avoid using clavo huasca. There is no published human or animal reproductive toxicology data for this species.

Regulatory Status

T. panurensis is not reviewed in any official pharmacopeia, is not the subject of a Commission E monograph, a WHO monograph, or an ESCOP monograph, and is not evaluated by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) or the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a regulated dietary supplement ingredient with established safety data. Traditional botanical sexual enhancer preparations of this type are popularly considered safe and "natural," and no strict regulation is applied to control their sale.

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9. Summary of Evidence Strength

The following reflects the state of the scientific literature as of the sources identified:

• Anti-inflammatory / antioxidant activity: Supported by one peer-reviewed in vitro and animal study (Morales et al., 2011, Journal of Medicinal Food). Evidence is preliminary; no human studies exist.
• PDE5 inhibition / sexual enhancement: Supported by one peer-reviewed in vitro enzyme assay study in a multi-ingredient preparation context (Schmeda-Hirschmann et al., 2019, Journal of Ethnopharmacology). T. panurensis alone showed only low PDE5 activity. No human clinical trials have been conducted.
• Phytochemical characterization: Well characterized by LC-MS analysis (Plaza et al., 2005, Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry); the novel eugenol glycoside derivative has been quantified in both dried bark and traditional hydroalcoholic extract.
• Traditional aphrodisiac, digestive, and analgesic uses: Supported only by ethnobotanical and historical records, with no controlled experimental studies directly on T. panurensis for these endpoints.
• Safety: No formal toxicology data. There have not been any clinical trials on the efficacy of clavohuasca or its most abundant eugenol derivative as a medicine.

References

• Morales L, Acero N, Galán A, Perez-García C, Alguacil LF, Muñoz-Mingarro D. "Bioactive Properties of Tynanthus panurensis (Bureau) Sanwith Bark Extract, the Amazonian 'Clavo Huasca'." Journal of Medicinal Food. 2011 Sep;14(9):939–43. doi:10.1089/jmf.2010.0171
• Plaza A, Montoro P, Benavides A, Pizza C, Piacente S. "Phenylpropanoid glycosides from Tynanthus panurensis: characterization and LC-MS quantitative analysis." Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 2005;53(8):2853–8. PMID: 15826030
• Schmeda-Hirschmann G, Burgos-Edwards A, Theoduloz C, Jiménez-Aspee F, Vargas-Arana G. "Male sexual enhancers from the Peruvian Amazon." Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 2019 Jan;229:167–179. PMID: 30339977
• Cansian F, et al. "Chemical review and studies related to species from the genus Tynanthus (Bignoniaceae)." Brazilian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences. 2015 Jul/Sep;51(3):515–523.
• Plants of the World Online — Kew Science. Tynanthus panurensis (Bureau) Sandwith. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). Tynanthus panurensis (Bureau) Sandwith. Species record.
• Useful Tropical Plants Database — Ken Fern. Tynanthus panurensis. tropical.theferns.info. 2026.
• Rain-Tree Nutrition. "Clavo Huasca — Tynanthus panurensis Database file in the Tropical Plant Database." (Based on Taylor L. The Healing Power of Rainforest Herbs. 2005.)
• Cansian F, et al. "Chemical review and studies related to species from the genus Tynanthus (Bignoniaceae)." ResearchGate preprint / published article record.
• HerbalGram. "Herbs and Erectile Dysfunction: A Review of Traditional Use and Modern Clinical Evidence." HerbalGram Issue 99. American Botanical Council.
• Schmeda-Hirschmann G, et al. "Iridoids and Amino Acid Derivatives from the Paraguayan Crude Drug Adenocalymma marginatum (ysypó hû)." PMC/PubMed Central. 2020. (Cites Schmeda-Hirschmann et al., 2019 on T. panurensis.)