- Region
- South America
- Origin
- Rainforest at the foot of the Andes in southern Colombia, Ecuador and northern Peru, especially along the Putumayo
- Traditions
- Kamëntšá and Inga medicine
South America · Herb · № 980
Paullinia yoco
Herb · South America
Yoco
Paullinia yoco
A woody liana of the soapberry family, related to guarana. The bark contains caffeine and theobromine; 0.1 to 3.6 percent caffeine has been measured, most in the inner bark of the stem. It is one of the few plants whose bark, rather than its seed or leaf, gives a caffeine drink.
Safety notes
Contains caffeine: not with heart rhythm disorders, high blood pressure, anxiety or insomnia, and in pregnancy only a small amount. A strong or large amount acts as an emetic. Not together with other caffeine drinks. Traditional use is no proof of effect; consult a doctor or pharmacist if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, take medication or have a medical condition.
Cautions by tradition (1)
- Kamëntšá and Inga medicine (Sibundoy): Contains caffeine: not with heart rhythm disorders, high blood pressure or in pregnancy. A lot of it acts as an emetic.
Preparation
Rasp and knead the inner bark of a fresh piece of stem in cold water, remove the fibres and drink the bitter, yellow-brown liquid in the morning.
Use in traditions
Among the Siona, Kofán, Secoya and Inga of the Putumayo, yoco is the first thing drunk in the morning, before food, and again before hunting, fishing or a long trek through the forest. Pieces of liana always go along on a journey. Schultes wrote that a person could keep going on it for two days without food, and that a group would move when the yoco nearby ran out. A youth searches for the liana, but a healer goes with him and asks the plant's forgiveness before it is cut. People distinguish dozens of kinds of yoco, such as white and red. Today the Siona, Kofán and Siekopai also plant yoco themselves.
Applications
Use by tradition
How different herbal traditions describe this herb. Amounts are traditional guidelines checked for obvious errors; they are not medical advice. For poisonous plants no dosage is given on purpose.
Kamëntšá and Inga medicine (Sibundoy)
Attributed effects
A stimulant at the start of the day and before a hunt or a journey, among the lowland Inga and their neighbours the Siona and Kofán.
Preparation and amount
Rasp and knead the inner bark in cold water and squeeze out the liquid; early in the morning a gourdful, half an hour later another.
Caution: Contains caffeine: not with heart rhythm disorders, high blood pressure or in pregnancy. A lot of it acts as an emetic.