Asclepiadaceae.
Parts Used: Bark of young stems.
Pharmacy name: kondurango bark – Condurango cortex (formerly: Cortex Condurango), kondurango wine – Condurango vinum (formerly: Vinum Condurango).
Botanical description. The kondurango shrub is a liana, found in the wild in South America on the western slopes of the Cordillera in Ecuador, Peru and Colombia. The diameter of the stem reaches 10 cm. Young creeping branches are covered with olive-green (to rusty-red) felt pubescence. The leaves are short-petiolate, opposite, up to 11 cm long and 8 cm wide. The broadly ovate leaf blade is rough, dense, covered with dense pubescence. Raw bark used in medicine – comes to the market in the form of tubes or rings 5-15 cm long and 1-3 cm wide, often warped or twisted according to the bends of the creeping stem.
Active ingredients: a small amount of essential oil, bitter kondurangin (collective name of bitterness), flavonoids and coumarins.
Healing action and application.Since there is a lot of bitterness in the bark of kondurango, it helps with loss of appetite, a decrease in the secretion of gastric juice and general weakness. Currently, it is used almost exclusively in the form of wine to strengthen the stomach and in general to improve digestion. For the first time this remedy became known in Europe in 1870. Since that time, it has been mentioned in all medical reference books, because it was thought that the bark of kondurango cures syphilis and cancer. Both of these opinions have not been confirmed, but the use of kondurango with a weak secretion of gastric juice remains. In such cases, doctors prescribe kondurango tea, which is also supported by the German National Health Service. When preparing it, pay attention to the following notes. o Kondurango tea: 1-2 teaspoons of bark pour 1/4 liter of cold water, slowly bring to a boil, remove from heat, cool completely, strain, then heat again until warm. The fact is that kondurangin is almost insoluble at high temperatures. Drink as needed 1 cup of unsweetened tea in small sips before meals.
Use in homeopathy. The homeopathic product Condurango is used infrequently in dilution D 1 for stomach disorders and lack of appetite. The medicine is given 5-10 drops 3-5 times every day.
Side effects. The bitter taste of kondurango bark eliminates overdose. At therapeutic doses, side effects should not be expected.
Note. The people believe with great confidence that the bark of kondurango works well in case of stomach cancer. Unfortunately, we can only say that kondurango tea reduces the very unpleasant nausea and severe vomiting that cancer patients often complain about. Nevertheless, science still has to work hard to answer the question of whether kondurango can be an anticancer agent; no doubt it is not tea, but probably at least a pure glycoside isolated from the bark.