Mimosa tenuiflora (Willd.) Poir.

Abstract

The use of Mimosa tenuiflora ([Willd.] Poir.) dates back to pre-colonial American civilizations. This plant has been used for a variety of purposes, such as magic-religious rituals; as a medicinal resource with anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and cicatrization properties; for fence construction and as a fuel. It contains high concentrations of tannins and flavonoids, which are mainly used to treat skin diseases. M. tenuiflora also contains N,N-dimethyltryptamine, a tryptamine alkaloid with psychoactive properties, which causes changes in humans’ mental states. Therefore, most of the studies on the bioactive compounds of M. tenuiflora have focused on its psychoactive actions and on the effectiveness of the flavonoids and tannins for cicatrization.