CERASEE

Today we learn about one of the most notorious and well loved bush medicines, Cerasee. Commonly called Corrilla, Carila, “Coolie Pumpkin” and Bitter Bush across St. Vincent and the Grenadines, this is used across the entire Caribbean as a potent blood purifier and tonic. Apart from its ability to cleanse drug related toxins from the body, Cerasee is known to lower blood sugar, blood pressure, aid digestive issues and kill parasites or worms.

Traditional uses are plentiful and it may be used to relieve constipation, treat colds and fevers in children and adults. Some women use it as a natural method of birth control, claiming that when they drink the tea daily they aren’t able to conceive. You can tie the bush around your neck to ward off stiffness and the elderly can use it for arthritis, gout and rheumatism.

Cerasee is native to Africa, the Middle East and Caribbean, and can be found all over the world. One of the iconic markers about this plant is the fruit it produces. Just like the Cerasee plant, it has a very bitter taste and is hard to miss in the landscape with its bright orange pods and juicy red seeds that are exposed one the pod explodes. Speaking from experience we know that eating the seeds was a serious childhood pastime growing up in Bequia.

The tea is usually prepared from both leaves and stems, and has the ability to fight inflammation, lower Cholesterol and protect the heart. The tea has long been used to kill worms and parasites in the body.

Borrowing from former chief pharmacologist Joann Ince Jack’s book “The use of Folkloric Medicine in SVG (Yurumein) – A Pharmacist Perspective” we should approach this medicine with caution. She shares that cerasee isn’t recommended for more than 4 weeks, as this can cause liver damage. Also in persons with diabetes it masks the sugar content in the blood and urine. So for those who are prone to low blood sugar levels, be careful or mindful when you use this medicine.

Borrowing from former chief pharmacologist Joann Ince Jack’s book “The use of Folkloric Medicine in SVG (Yurumein) – A Pharmacist Perspective” we should approach this medicine with caution. She shares that cerasee isn’t recommended for more than 4 weeks, as this can cause liver damage. Also in persons with diabetes it masks the sugar content in the blood and urine. So for those who are prone to low blood sugar levels, be careful or mindful when you use this medicine.