Krameria lappacea is characteristic of the Andes of Bolivia and Peru and supplies the drug Radix Ratanhiae with 8-18 % Ratanhia tannic acid. The plant is furthermore rich in calcium oxalate which mainly occurs in the form of druses.

Ethnobotanical and general use

Economical utilization
The plant supplies the drug radix ratanhiae which contains 8-18% tannic acid and is used for tanning.

Medical use
Drug: radix ratanhiae, rich in tannin. The dried root is used medicinally; it is astringent and tonic. It furthermore contains krameric acid. In former times it was used as a tooth preservative. Powdered root is said to be present in certain tooth-powders of today. The powder is also applied against diarhoea, gonorrhoea and haemorrhage.

Method of use
1- 1.5 g root powder against acute and chronic diarrhoea per day. Decoctions of the root in 5 o/o aqueous solution are used as injections against gonorrhoea. Haemorrhages of the stomach, the intestine, the lungs and the matrix are stopped immediately, when 1 g of the root powder is taken with a spoonful of water.

Healing properties
Astringent, soothing, haemostatic, antidiarrhoeic.

Chemical contents
The species contains much tannin and is used medically as a source of tannic substances. It is well known that polyphenols have important functions in the plant, such as protection against fungus infection or against predation by animals. Recently, it has been proved that polyphenols may also protect the plant against excessive UV radiation. Raxid Ratanhiae is therefore also used in lotions, emulsions and gels which serve as solar protection of the human skin (ALBORNOZ 1980).

South American medicinal plants : botany, remedial properties, and general use / I. Roth, H. Lindorf. Berlin ; New York : Springer, c2002. -- p. 492.