Copaifera officinalis

Copaiba oil contains a significant amount of kaurenoic acid, a diterpene plant chemical that has shown in laboratory studies to exert anti-inflammatory, hypotensive, and diuretic effects in vivo and antimicrobial, smooth muscle relaxant and cytotoxic actions in vitro. Copaiba is also the highest known plant source of another chemical named caryophyllene.

Caryophyllene is a well known plant chemical which has been documented in laboratory studies with anti-inflammatory effects (among other actions).

Traditional Uses: as a topical analgesic (pain-reliever) and anti-inflammatory for wounds, rashes, dermatitis, bug bites, boils, and psoriasis; as an antiseptic, disinfectant, and antimicrobial agent for internal and external bacterial infections; for nail and skin fungi; for skin cancer; for stomach ulcers and stomach cancer. It is a wild harvested product—grown naturally in the Brazilian Amazon without any pesticides or fertilizers.

Natural remedy: The remedy that helps to alleviate everything from stomach ulcers and psoriasis to nail fungus. Copaiba oil has a long history of use in South America, where it has traditionally been used as a topical remedy to help clear up skin problems including dermatitis, psoriasis, eczema, rashes, herpes, insect bites, injuries, wounds and boils.

Amazonian healers also recommend diluted copaiba oil for internal use as a treatment for a wide range of conditions. For example, it acts as an expectorant and can help alleviate respiratory problems like bronchitis. A traditional sore throat remedy involves taking four drops of copaiba oil mixed with a spoonful of honey. Its antiseptic properties also make it an effective gargle for easing sore throats and tonsillitis.

Copaiba oil was first introduced to the rest of the world in the 17th century, when it was known as Jesuit’s balsam (because it had been brought back from the New World by the Jesuits). Among other things, it was used as a topical preparation applied to hemorrhoids, and also to soothe chilblains.

Today, its ability to soothe and soften the skin – a result of its high content of naturally-occurring essential fatty acids that are the building blocks of healthy skin tissue – coupled with its powerful antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, has meant that copaiba oil is routinely used as an ingredient in soaps, bath preparations, cosmetic creams and lotions in the US.