+ Indications

• Inflammation
• Premature skin ageing
• Cardiac disease prevention
• Impaired immune function
• Atherosclerosis
• Diabetes control and prevention
• Cancer support and prevention
• High cholesterol
• Fatigue
• Depression
  

+ Contraindications

• May cause insomnia if taken too late in the evenings.

Traditional Uses of Cacao

+ Traditional South American Medicine

In Aztec times, the seeds of Theobroma were used as a form of currency, and in some places in Mexico, still, are to this day [1]. The Olmec, Maya, and Aztec civilizations have been recorded to have consumed T. cacao as early as 600 BC [11], however contradictory evidence suggests it was earlier than 1000 BC.

This older suggestion is based on a sample found in Honduras on residues extracted from pottery [8]. Theobroma spp. based beverages were used in virtually all social and ritual occasions in Aztec, societies [8]. The traditional preparation method as outlined by J. S. Henderson (2007) involves the fermentation of the cacao seeds, then drying, toasting (optional), grinding, and finally mixing with water to form a suspension. The beverage was very bitter and highly sought after by all, including the invading Europeans [8].

How T. cacao arrived in Mesoamerica is highly debated to this day, as the origins of all T. cacao stem from the northern Amazonia [8]. It's possible the native range of T. cacao stretched farther past central America, or alternatively, it may have simply been spread by humans.

G. Scapagnini et al., (2014) reports that T. cacao has even been used medicinally by the Mayan and Aztec civilizations, as well as a nutritional substance [7].

Various parts of Theobroma cacao have been used and studied as medicine including the leaves, seeds, bark, flower, pulp, and cocoa butter (oil).

A liquor has been made from Theobroma cacao, by combining cocoa butter, cocoa powder, which is cleaned, fermented, dried, and roasted, and possibly then processed with an alkali (called dutching) to increase palatability. [7]. The earliest use of cacao, in Mesoamerica (pre-1000 BC) is thought to be a fermented alcoholic beverage of the pulp, which may have been what then lead to the production of the cocoa beverage still used today due to a byproduct of this process yielding fermented cacao seeds. It's these fermented seeds that are the primary ingredient in the non-alcoholic cocoa beverage that is still used today [8].

Traditionally, in various Meso-American cultures such as Olmec, Aztec, and Maya used the cocoa beverage to fight fatigue, and to build up a resistance [9].

Herb Details: Cacao

Phamacology & Medical Research

+ Anti Aging Effects on the Skin

G Scapagnini et al., (2014) suggest that T. cacao bean products provide endogenous photoprotection, and general maintenance of skin through their anti inflammatory, and antioxidant activity [7]. They report that the antioxidant effects in particular, neutralize the oxidative stress involved with dermal deterioration and premature skin aging.

+ Anti Anemic

T. cacao beans are a rich source of iron, as well as copper [7], which may then provide support for iron-deficient anemia. The high iron, and copper is important because of the pathology of iron deficient anemia, and due to coppers role in iron transport.

+ Anti-Cancer

Z. Baharum et al., (2014) defines cancer as “a complex multifactorial cell disease, characterized by abnormal cellular proliferation” [11] (page 18318). The death resulting from cancer is second in the western world only to cardiovascular disease in America [4]. Z. Baharum et al., (2014) then goes on to state that “it is possible that traditional medicinal plants can serve as potential sources for developing new drugs and more effective anti-cancer agents for future therapy” (page 18318).

In a study done investigating the anticancer effects of T. cacao [11] the leaves of T cacao extract (methanol) were found to produce low toxicity towards healthy cells, and high toxicity towards cancer cells, indicating cytotoxic effects on cancer cells, and potential as an anti-cancer agent. These effects were reported as being the highest in the leaf extract, despite the phenol content being higher elsewhere in the plant (roots), this suggests that the phenolic compounds present in the plant, which deliver antioxidant effects, are only moderately responsible for the cytotoxic effects on cancer cells.

Other constituents discovered in the plant with known anti-cancer activity include flavonoids, tannins, triterpenes, and saponins, which were all deemed to be in highest concentrations in the leaf extract [11]. It was specifically noted in this study that the leaf extract did not contain any alkaloids, which have been given distinction as medicinally important in relation to T. cacao and have been used for hundreds of years medicinally, but are known to produce cytotoxic effects on normal cells [11]. The alkaloids are mainly present in the seeds however [1].

The aforementioned research may be interpreted that the leaf extract of T. cacao possesses the most potent anti-cancer activity, while also maintaining the lowest chance of toxicity from the plant.

+ Anti-Cholesterol

Theobromine has been studied for its effects to increase serum HDL cholesterol (aka good cholesterol) [7]. The “oxidative modification process” describes the process by which the lipids and proteins of vessel walls, and LDL (aka bad cholesterol) is oxidized early in the disease process, leading to atherosclerosis, which is associated closely in cardiac disease [9]. Cocoa has been shown to address this process in various ways, through antioxidant support, as well as immunomodulatory effects which influence cytokines and thusly, the inflammation associated with them, effectively working against the progression of this disease process [9].

+ Antidepressant

Due to T. cacao’s (seeds) effects on inhibiting tryptophan breakdown, as well as its immunomodulatory and antioxidant effects [9], it can be reasoned that T. cacao, especially its seeds, may have a positive effect on the pathology of depression through various processes.

K. Becker et al., (2013) suggests that “cacao can be a kind of indirect oral tryptophan supplementation by inhibiting IDO activity” (page 5).

+ Antidiabetic

G. Oboh et al., (2014) determined that both the anti-diabetic effects produced from T. cacao bean as a functional food were produced by its 𝛼-amylase and 𝛼-glucosidase inhibiting activities, as well as the added effect of addressing some of the side effects of synthetic diabetes drugs.

G. Scapagnini et al., suggests the antioxidant effects of cocoa components may influence insulin resistance, and reduce the risk for diabetes.

Also contained in T. cacao bean is a high concentration of magnesium, which during deficiency of this mineral has been linked to metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, and thus, diabetes [7].

+ Antihypertensive

Cocoa powder, dark chocolate, and cocoa liquor have all been shown to suppress atherosclerosis, increase dermal blood circulation, and decrease platelet activation and adhesion through inhibition of angiotensin-I converting enzyme, and high antioxidant activity [6].

Theobromine has been shown to stimulate the heart muscle, however so it should be determined how this will affect patients on beta-blocking medications.

Magnesium is also an anti-arthritic and a hypotensive agent as well, the high concentration of this mineral in T. cacao may therefore produce some of its antihypertensive effects through the actions of this mineral [7].

+ Antinflammatory

G. Scapagnini et al. (2014) reports cocoa beans to affect inflammation by down-regulating pro-inflammatory cytokines.

This may be useful when treating viral cytokine effects.

+ Antioxidant

Antioxidant effects were found to be highest in the roots of T. cacao, however are also present in the leaves, and cherelle (young seed pod), but were noted to be absent from the fermented and unfermented shell, pith, and pulp, and in very low concentrations in the bark (Z. Baharum et al., 2014). It was only the cherelle extract that was noted to inhibit lipid peroxidation [11]. The phenolic compounds found in the plant were given a lot of the responsibility for the antioxidant actions, due to the known antioxidant properties of phenols, and a significant correlation in the relationship of the antioxidant qualities and phenol content discovered in various parts of the plants [6, 11]. Other constituents contained within the plant are also determined to have antioxidant activity such as flavonoids, tannins, triterpenes, and saponins [11].

G. Oboh et al (2014) showed that the beans of T. cacao also had significant antioxidant effects in rats [6].

+ General Health Supplement

High dietary intake of plant metabolites such as polyphenols, contained in high amounts in vegetables, fruits, tea, coffee, and cocoa, provide support against such diseases as cancer and cardiac disease through antioxidant action [9].

Cocoa also offers anti-inflammatory [7], immunomodulatory [9], and nutritional support through its many constituents. These qualities produce a wide variety of effects within the body, and may provide beneficial use as a daily dietary supplement to promote general health.

+ Immunomodulatory

T. cacao has been shown in vitro to produce immunomodulatory effects via its ability to decrease tryptophan breakdown [9]. The breakdown of tryptophan has been shown to influence immunoregulation, as well as serotonin biosynthesis [9], which also plays a role in the pathology of depression.

Synergy

Traditionally combined with vanilla and made into the drink chocolytyl to be used as a general tonic, and aphrodisiac.