SOLÉA HERBAL — Plants, their properties, your balance.

Identity & origin

BOTANICAL IDENTITY

The right name is the first step.

Mauria heterophylla is an accepted species in Plants of the World Online, in the Anacardiaceae family. Bussmann and Sharon’s survey documents it in northern Peru under the local names Shimir, Tres Hojas, Trinidad, Chacur. Recorded material: fresh leaves. References ISA24, JULS17 and EHCHL83 document this entry. Intravaginal washes also described by informants are not proposed here; the record establishes neither mucosal safety nor treatment of infection. This entry follows the botanical identity and context of the record; it is not an identification key for collecting plants.

Part used: Fresh leaves
Origin & distribution: Native range reported by Kew: Costa Rica to Venezuela and Peru. The uses presented come from the northern Peru survey; the interview location does not establish where a marketed batch grew wild.

Also known as: Sorindeia heterophylla (Kunth) Marchand, Mauria biringo Tul., Mauria biringo var. granatensis Engl., Mauria biringo var. weberbaueri Loes., Mauria decandra H.Karst. ex Engl., Shimir, Tres Hojas, Trinidad, Chacur

Check the binomial Mauria heterophylla and the actual plant part. The local names Shimir, Tres Hojas, Trinidad, Chacur alone do not guarantee botanical identity; properties of a related species cannot be transferred.

An illustration is not enough to identify a plant for consumption. Do not forage for a species based solely on this profile.

Uses & evidence

UNDERSTANDING THE USES

Properties & uses.

Reported historical use

Uses reported in northern Peru

Fresh leaves are reported in oral preparations and washes combined with other plants. Reported uses include inflammations, wounds and complaints described as liver, kidney or gynaecological problems. The same row distinguishes limpias, ritual cleansing practices, associated with susto and daño. These reports establish neither a causal relationship nor clinical effectiveness. Described methods are ethnographic observations, without advice to prepare or take the plant.

Use reported in a survey or inventory. This establishes neither benefit nor safety.

Read the source

The traditional uses described are not clinical proof of effectiveness. Evidence for one preparation cannot automatically be applied to another.

Precautions before use

BEFORE ANY USE

Precautions & contraindications.

This guidance does not cover every individual situation. Missing information is not a guarantee of safety.

The following warnings do not constitute a complete review of interactions or contraindications. An unstudied combination cannot be considered compatible.

Contraindications & precautions

The selected sources provide no complete clinical assessment of contraindications for this species. Their silence does not establish safety.
Medical or pharmaceutical advice is required before medicinal use, particularly with a chronic condition or persistent symptoms.

Medicine interactions

Interactions with medicines are not evaluated in the cited ethnobotanical survey. Ask a pharmacist to assess the exact species, plant part and product; do not discontinue prescribed treatment.

“Reported” does not prove causality; “possible” may reflect indirect evidence. “None reported” means none in the cited source, not that all combinations have been studied. Do not stop a prescribed treatment based on this profile.

Adverse effects

The use inventory contains no monitoring that could establish the frequency or severity of adverse effects. No safe dose is inferred from the described practices.

Pregnancy & breastfeeding

Pregnancy and breastfeeding: the selected sources do not establish safety for this medicinal use. Do not self-medicate; seek appropriate professional advice.

Children & adolescents

Any uses reported in children validate neither safety nor a paediatric dose. Do not independently use this plant medicinally in children; consult a professional.

If symptoms persist, worsen or are unusual, consult a healthcare professional. In an emergency, contact the emergency services.

Bussmann & Sharon (2006) — Additional file 1, p. 3, Mauria heterophylla Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew — Plants of the World Online: Mauria heterophylla Kunth Bussmann & Sharon (2006) — Traditional medicinal plant use in Northern Peru: tracking two thousand years of healing culture

Sources & last review

CHECKING REFERENCES

Sources for this profile.

Bussmann & Sharon (2006) — Additional file 1, p. 3, Mauria heterophyllaAccessed on 09/10/2026
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew — Plants of the World Online: Mauria heterophylla KunthAccessed on 09/10/2026
Bussmann & Sharon (2006) — Traditional medicinal plant use in Northern Peru: tracking two thousand years of healing cultureAccessed on 09/10/2026

Image: Paúl Gonzáles · CC BY 4.0. View the original image and its licence. Image resized and converted to WebP.