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Camu Camu

Camu camu is a bush that grows in swampy or flooded areas of the Amazon rainforest in Peru, Brazil, Venezuela and Colombia. The fruits and leaves of this bush are used as medicine. Camu camu is used for viral infections including herpes, cold sores, shingles and the common cold. Camu camu is also used for eye conditions including clouding of the lens and glaucoma. Other uses include the treatment of asthma, arteriosclerosis, depression, gum disease, headaches and osteoarthritis, as well as the treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome. Some people use camu camu to boost their energy and maintain healthy gums, eyes and skin. Camu camu is also used as an antioxidant and to stimulate the function of the immune system. The fruit is eaten as a food.

How does camu camu work?

The camu camu fruit contains many nutrients including vitamin C, beta-carotene, fatty acids, proteins and others. It also contains chemicals that may have different effects on the body. However, there is not enough information on how camu camu might work in terms of treating or preventing disease.

How effective is camu camu?

There is not enough scientific data to make a statement about the effectiveness of Camu Camu for arthritis, asthma, cold sores, common cold, depression, clouding of the eye lens, glaucoma, chronic fatigue syndrome, gum disease, headaches, herpes and shingles. Further scientific research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of Camu Camu in these applications.

Safety and side effects

There is not enough information to say whether camu camu is safe and harmless or what side effects it may have.

Precautions and warnings

Pregnancy and lactation: Not enough is known about the use of camu camu during pregnancy and lactation. For this reason, pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid Camu Camu.

Interactions

At this time, there is no information on interactions of Camu Camu with medications or supplements.

Dosage

An appropriate dosage of Camu Camu depends on various factors such as age, state of health and others. At this time, there is insufficient scientific data to make a statement about appropriate dosage ranges for Camu Camu. For this reason, you should follow the dosage instructions on the label and/or consult a doctor or pharmacist before use.

References

  1. Dib Taxi CM, de Menezes HC, Santos AB, Grosso CR. Study of the microencapsulation of camu-camu (Myrciaria dubia) juice. J Microencapsul 2003;20:443-8.
  2. Franco MR, Shibamoto T. Volatile composition of some Brazilian fruits: umbu-caja (Spondias citherea), camu-camu (Myrciaria dubia), Araca-boi (Eugenia stipitata), and Cupuacu (Theobroma grandiflorum). J Agric Food Chem 2000;48:1263-5.
  3. Justi KC, Visentainer JV, Evelazio de Souza N, Matsushita M. Nutritional composition and vitamin C stability in stored camu-camu (Myrciaria dubia) pulp. Arch Latinoam Nutr 2000;50:405-8.
  4. Quijano CE, Pino JA. Analysis of volatile compounds of camu-camu (Myrciaria dubia (HBK) Mcvaugh) fruit isolated by different methods. J Essent Oil Res 2007;19:527-33.
  5. Ueda H, Kuroiwa E, Tachibana Y, et al. Aldose reductase inhibitors from the leaves of Myrciaria dubia (H. B. & K.) McVaugh. Phytomedicine 2004;11:652-6.
  6. Zanatta CF, Cuevas E, Bobbio FO, et al. Determination of anthocyanins from camu-camu (Myrciaria dubia) by HPLC-PDA, HPLC-MS, and NMR. J Agric Food Chem 2005;53:9531-5.
  7. Zanatta CF, Mercadante AZ. Carotenoid composition from the Brazilian tropical fruit camu-camu (Myrciaria dubia). Food Chem 2007;101:1526-32.