A dynamic combination of rainforest botanicals which are traditionally used in the rainforest and South America for acne, pimples and skin blemishes.* For more information on the individual ingredients in Amazon Skin-A Support, follow the links provided below to the plant database files in the Tropical Plant Database.

Ingredients: A herbal blend of fedegoso, sarsaparilla, chuchuhuasi, abuta, bitter melon, and espinheira santa. To prepare this natural remedy yourself: use two parts fedegosa and sarsaparilla, and one part each of the remaining plants in the list. To make a small amount... "1 part" could be one tablespoon (you'd have 8 tablespoons of the blended herbal formula). For larger amounts, use "1 part" as one ounce or one cup or one pound. Combine all the herbs together well. The herbal mixture can then be stuffed into capsules or brewed into tea, stirred into juice or other liquid, or taken however you'd like.

Suggested Use: Take 1 to 1.5 grams 2-3 times daily. (1 gram is approximately 1/2 teaspoon by volume)
Contraindications: None known.

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Third-Party Published Research*

This rainforest formula has not been the subject of any clinical research. A partial listing of third-party published research on each herbal ingredient in the formula is shown below. Please refer to the plant database files by clicking on the plant names below to see all available documentation and research on each plant ingredient.

Fedegoso (Cassia occidentalis)
Bhagat, M., et al. "Evaluation of Cassia occidentalis for in vitro cytotoxicity against human cancer cell lines and antibacterial activity." Indian J Pharmacol. 2010 Aug;42(4):234-7.
Li, S., et al. "Cycloartane triterpenoids from Cassia occidentalis." Planta Med. 2012 May;78(8):821-7.
Evans CE, et al. "Efficacy of some nupe medicinal plants against Salmonella typhi: an in vitro study." J. Ethnopharmacol. 2002 Apr; 80(1): 21-4.
Samy, R. P., et al. "Antibacterial activity of some folklore medicinal plants used by tribals in Western Ghats of India." J. Ethnopharmacol. 2000; 69(1): 63-71.
Anesini, C., et al. "Screening of plants used in Argentine folk medicine for antimicrobial activity." J. Ethnopharmacol. 1993; 39(2): 119-28.
Caceres, A., et al. "Plants used in Guatemala for the treatment of dermatophytic infections. 1. Screening for antimycotic activity of 44 plant extracts." J. Ethnopharmacol. 1991; 31(3): 263-76.
Hussain, H., et al. "Plants in Kano ethomedicine: screening for antimicrobial activity and alkaloids." Int. J. Pharmacog. 1991; 29(1): 51-6.
Gaind, K. N., et al. "Antibiotic activity of Cassia occidentalis." Indian J. Pharmacy 1966; 28(9): 248-50.
Arya, V., et al. "Antioxidant activity of organic and aqueous leaf extracts of Cassia occidentalis L. in relation to their phenolic content." Nat Prod Res. 2011 Sep;25(15):1473-9.
El-Hashash M., et al. "Antioxidant properties of methanolic extracts of the leaves of seven Egyptian Cassia species." Acta Pharm. 2010 Sep;60(3):361-7.
Sreejith, G., et al. "Anti-allergic, anti-inflammatory and anti-lipidperoxidant effects of Cassia occidentalis Linn." Indian J Exp Biol. 2010 May;48(5):494-8.

Sarsaparilla (Smilax officinalis, glabra)
Shao, B., et al. "Steroidal saponins from Smilax china and their anti-inflammatory activities." Phytochemistry. 2006 Dec 11;
Shu, X. S., et al. "The anti-inflammation effects of Smilax china ethylacetate extract in rats and mice." Zhongguo. Zhong. Yao. Za. Zhi. 2006 Feb; 31(3): 239-43.
Shu, X. S., et al. "Anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive activities of Smilax china L. aqueous extract." J. Ethnopharmacol. 2006 Feb; 103(3): 327-32.
Tschesche, R. "Advances in the chemistry of antibiotic substances from higher plants." In H. Wagner and L.
Horhammer, Pharmacognosy and Phytochemisty. New York: Springer Verlag, 1971. 274-76.
Caceres, A., et al. "Plants used in Guatemala for the treatment of dermatophytic infections. 1. Screening for antimycoctic activity of 44 plant extracts." J. Ethnopharmacol. 1991; 31(3): 263-76.
Jiang, J., et al. "Immunomodulatory activity of the aqueous extract from rhizome of Smilax glabra in the later phase of adjuvant-induced arthritis in rats." J. Ethnopharmacol. 2003; 85(1): 53-9.

Chuchuhuasi (Maytenus krukovii, laevis)
Bruni, R., et al. "Antimutagenic, antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of Maytenus krukovii bark." Fitoterapia. 2006 Dec; 77(7-8): 538-45.
Kloucek, P., et al. "Antimicrobial activity of some medicinal barks used in Peruvian Amazon." J. Ethnopharmacol. 2007 May; 111(2): 427-9.
Kloucek P, et al. "Antibacterial screening of some Peruvian medicinal plants used in Calleria District." J. Ethnopharmacol. 2005 Jun; 99(2): 309-12.
Perez-Victoria, et al. "New natural sesquiterpenes as modulators of daunomycin resistance in a multidrug-resistant Leishmania tropica line." J. Med. Chem. 1999; 42(1): 4388-93.
Sotanaphun, U., et al. "Antimicrobial activity and stability of tingenone derivatives." Planta Med. 1999 Jun; 65(5): 450-2.
Martinod, P., et al. "Isolation of tingenone and pristimerin from Maytenus chuchuhuasha." Phytochemistry 1976; 15: 562-63.

Abuta (Cissampelos pareira)
Zhang, H., et al. "Synergistic anti-candidal activity of tetrandrine on ketoconazole: an experimental study." Planta Med. 2010; 76(1): 53-61.
Iwazaki, R., et al. "In vitro antifungal activity of the berberine and its synergism with fluconazole." Antonie. Van. Leeuwenhoek. 2009 Nov 2.
Zhang, H., et al. "Mechanism of action of tetrandrine, a natural inhibitor of Candida albicans drug efflux pumps." Yakugaku Zasshi. 2009; 129(5): 623-30.
Rukunga, G. M., et al. "Anti-plasmodial activity of the extracts of some Kenyan medicinal plants." J. Ethnopharmacol. 2009 Jan; 121(2): 282-5.
Ramirez, I, et al. "Cissampeloflavone, a chalcone-flavone dimer from Cissampelos pareira." Phytochemistry. 2003 Sep; 64(2): 645-7.
Sanchez Medina, A., et al. "Evaluation of biological activity of crude extracts from plants used in Yucatecan traditional medicine part l. Antioxidant, antimicrobial and beta-glucosidase inhibition activities." Phytomedicine 2001; 8(2):144-51
Gessler, M. C., et al. "Screening of Tanzanian medicinal plants for antimalarial activity." Acta. Tropica. 1994; 56(1): 65-77.
Anwer, F., et al. "Studies in medicinal plants 3. Protoberberine alkaloids from the roots of Cissampelos pareira Linn." Experientia. 1968; 15.
Bhatnagar, A. K., et al. "Chemical examination of the roots of Cissampelos pareira Linn. V. Structure and stereochemistry of hayatidin." Experientia. 1967; 15.
George, M. and K. M. Pandalai "Investigations on plant antibiotics. Part IV. Further search for antibiotic substances in Indian medicinal plants." Indian J. Med. Res. 1949; 37: 169-81.

Bitter Melon (Momordica charantia)
Santos, K., et al. "Trypanocide, cytotoxic, and antifungal activities of Momordica charantia. Pharm Biol. 2012 Feb;50(2):162-6.
Feng, E., et al. "Bitter gourd (Momordica charantia) is a cornucopia of health: a review of its credited antidiabetic, anti-HIV, and antitumor properties." Curr Mol Med. 2011 Jul;11(5):417-36. Review.
Mahomoodally, M., et al. "Screening for alternative antibiotics: an investigation into the antimicrobial activities of medicinal food plants of Mauritius." J Food Sci. 2010 Apr;75(3):M173-7.
Coutinho, H., et al. "Effect of Momordica charantia L. in the resistance to aminoglycosides in methicilin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus." Comp. Immunol. Microbiol. Infect. Dis. 2009 Sep 2.
Braca, A., et al. "Chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of Momordica charantia seed essential oil." Fitoterapia. 2008; 79(2): 123-5.
Vashishta, A., et al. "In vitro refolded napin-like protein of Momordica charantia expressed in Escherichia coli displays properties of native napin." Biochim. Biophys. Acta. 2006; 1764(5): 847-55.
Frame, A. D., et al. "Plants from Puerto Rico with anti-Mycobacterium tuberculosis properties." P. R. Health Sci. J. 1998; 17(3): 243-52.
Khan, M. R., et al. "Momordica charantia and Allium sativum: Broad spectrum antibacterial activity." Korean J. Pharmacog. 1998; 29(3): 155-58.
Omoregbe, R. E., et al. "Antimicrobial activity of some medicinal plants’ extracts on Escherichia coli,Salmonella paratyphi and Shigella dysenteriae." Afr. J. Med. Med. Sci. 1996; 25(4): 373-75.
Hussain, H. S. N., et al. "Plants in Kano ethomedicine: Screening for antimicrobial activity and alkaloids." Int. J. Pharmacog. 1991; 29(1): 51-6.
Takemoto, D. J., et al. "Purification and characterization of a cytostatic factor from the bitter melon Momordica charantia." Prep. Biochem. 1982; 12(4): 355-75.

Espinheira Santa (Maytenus ilicifolia)
Jorge, R. M., et al. "Evaluation of antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory and antiulcerogenic activities of Maytenus ilicifolia." J. Ethnopharmacol. 2004 Sep; 94(1): 93-100.
Hnatyszyn, O., et al. "Argentinian plant extracts with relaxant effect on the smooth muscle of the corpus cavernosum of guinea pig." Phytomedicine. 2003 Nov; 10(8): 669-74.
dos Santos, V., et al. "Evaluation of antioxidant capacity and synergistic associations of quinonemethide triterpenes and phenolic substances from Maytenus ilicifolia (Celastraceae)." Molecules. 2010 Oct 11;15(10):6956-73.
Vellosa, J. C., et al. "Antioxidant activity of Maytenus ilicifolia root bark." Fitoterapia. 2006 Apr; 77(3): 243-4.
Melo, S. F., et al. "Effect of the Cymbopogon citratus, Maytenus ilicifolia and Baccharis genistelloides extracts against the stannous chloride oxidative damage in Escherichia coli." Mutat. Res. 2001 Sep; 496(1-2): 33-8.
de Lima, O. G., et al. "Antimicrobial substances from higher plants. XXXVI. On the presence of maytenin and pristimerine in the cortical part of the roots of Maytenus ilicifolia from the south of Brazil." Rev. Inst. Antibiot. 1971 Jun.
de Lima, O. G., et al. "Substabcias antimicrobiano de plantas superiores. Comunicacao XXXI. Maitenina, novo antimicrobiano con acao antineoplastica, isolade de celastracea de pernambuco." Revista do Instituto de Antibioticos 1969; (9): 17-25.

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