Byrsonima sericea
# Byrsonima sericea

Byrsonima sericea is a species of semi-deciduous tree native to Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Guyana, and French Guiana.

## Description

The tree is medium-sized and usually grows 6–18 meters tall. Flowers are tall orange plumes which develop into small, 8 mm large fruits when mature.

## Ecology

Prefers wet deciduous forests, either primary or secondary growth. Usually found in fertile soils by rivers or other small moving bodies of water.

## Uses

The plant is used by Brazilians, to whom it is known as murici, to treat gastric injuries, due to the leaves' high content of flavonoids, such as rutin, isoquercitrin, kaempferol 3-O-rutinoside, and querceti, known for their antioxidant properties. It is also used for its tannins.

The Byrosonima sericea additionally provides numerous health benefits to rodents. Among the floral oil benefits, also include the ability to decrease motility, including abnormal abdominal contractions and spasms, in mice. The antioxidant properties in the plant serve to provide gastroprotective and anti-diarrheal activities. The presence of these large amounts of phenolic compounds in the Byrosonima sericea such as flavonoids may possess antioxidant power as well, thus allowing benefits to the immune system as well; thus, the bioactivity of the phenolic compounds can be attributed to their ability to bond with certain metals, inhibit the which may be attributable for the antioxidant capacity. Additionally, the Byrosonima sericea can be used to treat the effects of fatty liver damage in rats. In a study done, the rats who had been treated with the extract from the plant showed less hepatic damage in their liver cells as in comparison with the negative control group rats. The study concluded that the rats treated with the floral oil from the Byrosonima sericea had additional hepatoprotective action from the enzyme secretion. (Wong, 2019)

