Baccharis aerial part cut – Baccharis trimera

Known locally as "Carqueja," this perennial plant is used in folk medicine in Brazil, Argentina, and Bolivia. It grows wild in warm, humid areas. Its fine, slightly woody texture and distinctive bitter taste make it a popular herb for everyday infusions.

Description

Cut and dried aerial parts, including thin stems, leaves, and tops. Green-brown color, intense herbaceous odor, pronounced bitter taste. Infuse for a long time to release its aromatic and active compounds.

Nomenclature

• Common names: Carqueja, baccharis, bitter carqueja
• Latin name: Baccharis trimera
• Family: Asteraceae
• Part used: Aerial part
• Form: Cut, dried
• Origin: Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Bolivia
• Name in English: Carqueja herb
• Name in German: Carqueja-Kraut
• Name in Spanish: Carqueja
• Name in Italian: Carqueja
• Name in Portuguese: Carqueja

Main virtues

A plant traditionally used to support digestion, promote elimination, and purify the body. It is also recognized in some local practices as a mild bitter tonic.

Main constituents

Flavonoids (luteolin, apigenin), diterpenes, tannins, saponins, phenolic acids, essential oil.

Use and dosage

• Infusion: 1 to 2 teaspoons per cup, infuse for 10 to 12 minutes in simmering water.
• Traditional use: as a 2 to 3 week treatment, under professional advice if necessary.
• Bitter taste: can be sweetened with honey or mixed with other sweet herbs.

Precautions, side effects and contraindications

• Not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women.
• Avoid in case of severe liver problems without supervision.
• May be irritating at high doses (bitterness), respect the recommended dosages.

History and origin

Carqueja, a plant widely used in traditional Brazilian and Andean pharmacopoeias, is a symbol of folk remedies for the liver and digestion. It is often harvested wild and prepared as a herbal tea or extract.

Miscellaneous information

• Storage: away from humidity and light, in an airtight container.
• Packaging: opaque kraft bag, metal box or tinted glass jar.
• Appearance: mixture of fragments of dried stems and leaves, green to brownish tint.
• Odor: herbaceous, bitter, light resinous.

Sources and references

• Pl@ntUse – https://uses.plantnet-project.org
• Brazilian and South American Pharmacopoeia
• Tropical phytotherapy works
• Traditional Amazonian herbalism

🔎 Information

The products on aromacentre.fr are not medicines. They are natural, plant-based treatments. All usage advice on our site is for informational purposes only. Any additional requests should be made to a qualified healthcare professional. In accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 December 2006 on nutrition and health claims made on foods, we are unable to publish this information on the site. Taking this product does not exempt you from consulting a doctor or prescribing it. Ask your doctor or healthcare practitioner for advice. Be sure to read the precautions for use before using any medicinal plants. The use of herbal preparations is not recommended without consulting your doctor or pharmacist. The substances they contain may interact with medications prescribed by the patient, reducing their therapeutic effectiveness or causing toxicity. They can also worsen the weakening of the body's vital functions, thus exposing the patient to increased morbidity and life-threatening risks.

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