Description

Mulungu (erythrina mulungu) is a medium sized tree reaching up to 30 feet in height and is indigenous to northern Brazil, parts of Peru and topical areas in Central America and Asia.  Mulungu is known by several botanical names including Erythrina mulungu, Erythrina crista-galli, and Erythrina verna.  This plant is known by natives as one of the most powerful and naturally occurring. 

Uses and Cultivation

Although not researched extensively, mulungu is a native herb used as a sedative and reliever of nervous system problems.  Mulungu is a natural cleanser and is used to promote emotional balance and encourage restful nights and relaxed days.  Mulungu's hypotensive and heart-regulatory activities have been studied; there is some consensus that alkaloids are credited with this activity.  Mulungu is not very widely known or used in North America, mostly appearing as an ingredient in only a few herbal formulas for anxiety or depression.

Research that has been performed on Erythrina alkaloids in the last decade suggest a group of active chemicals are almost always present to some degree in all erythrina species of plants.  Other research suggests the possibility of looking at proteins in erythrina for possible health benefits. 

Additional study suggests that the crude extract of Erythrina velutina at lower doses interferes with memory process for different tasks, while at higher doses, the sedative and neuromuscular blocking actions are the main effects.

Some consider herbs from the Amazon rainforest as food, not medicine.  Obviously, those looking for ‘natural’ remedies for physical ailments would disagree.  More importantly, while most of us probably need to depend on cultivated food, we can now add the amazing life – giving herbs from Amazonia to enhance our diet.  Since herbs have a market value that far exceeds anything that can be marketed through destroying the rainforest (tropical wood, soybean cultivation, oil, gold), tribes working with the natural food and supplement industry in developed countries have no incentive to ever sell their land for deforestation.