Jamaican Herbs and Spices - Quassia Wood
Jamaican Quassia Wood
Quassia (Picrasma Excelsa) wood, or what Jamaican locals refer to as bitter wood, is indigenous to Jamaica and many other islands of the Caribbean. The tall elegant trees, can reach heights of up to fifteen (15) feet tall. The Quassia tree is sought after by various industries, primarily to extract Quassin, which is regarded as the most bitter substance on the earth.
Other Names
Quassia is known around the world by various names, such as: Amargo, Bitter-Ash, Bitter Wood, Bitterwood, Bois Amer, Cuasia, Écorce de Quassia, Jamaican Quassia, Palo de Cuasia, Pao Tariri, Picrasma, Picrasma excelsa, Quassia amara, Quassia Amer, Quassia Bark, Quassia de Jamaïque, Quassia de Surinam, Ruda, Surinam Quassia, Surinam Wood.
Industry Uses
Quassia wood is used primarily in the pharmaceutical and food industry. The ingredients found in Quassia wood are used in food, beverages, lozenges, and laxatives. The bark is also used as a natural insecticide, as wells as for other applications.
Constituents and Characteristics
Volatile oil, quassin, gummy extractive pectin, woody fiber, tartrate and sulphate of lime, chlorides of calcium, and sodium, various salts such as oxalate and ammoniacal salt, nitrate of potassa and sulphate of soda.