Botanical name: Amaranthus caudatus L.
Family: Amaranthaceae
Common names. English: love-lies-bleeding, Inca wheat, cat-tail, tumbleweed; indigenous languages: kiwicha (Peru), achita (Peru [Ayacucho, Apurímac]), achis (Peru [Ancash]), coyo (Peru [Cajamarca]), coimi, millmi (Bolivia), sangoracha, ataqo (Ecuador)

Love-lies-bleeding is a grain originating in South America, where it was also domesticated. The chronicler, Cobo, wrote in 1653 that, in the city of Guamanga (Ayacucho), delicious sweets were prepared from bledos (Amuranthus caudatus) and sugar.
A similar species, the haautli (A. hypochondriacus). was extensively grown in Mesoamerica and is frequently mentioned by writers in connection with Aztec customs and ceremonies.

Since the colonial era, the cultivated area of love-lies-bleeding has decreased considerably.
However. it is still grown in Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and Argentina because of the persistence of Andean farmers, and continues to be important because of its excellent nutritional quality.
It is efficient at fixing carbon dioxide, does not have photorespiration and requires less water to produce the same amount of biomass as cereals

The grain's nutritional value is high and can be as much as to 12 to 16 percent protein, while the balance of amino acids is very good, with a fair proportion of these containing sulphur: lysine, methionine and cysteine It does not contain saponins or alkaloids and the leaves are edible.
In the human diet it is preferably eaten split or after the split grain has been ground, giving a very agreeable flour.

The grain is also cooked whole. Over 50 ways of preparation are known: the leaves are eaten in salads and the grains are also used to make soups, custards, stews, desserts, drinks, bread and cakes.

Agro-industry makes flour which is used up to 20 percent as a wheat substitute in breadmaking. It is also used to make an instant chocolate powder, syrups and sweets. A study has been made of the use of vegetable colouring matters, which are found up to 23 percent in the ear and are highly water-soluble and unstable in light.

Vernacular names :Soursop (English); guanábana (Spanish), corossol (French), sirsak, nangka belanda, nangka seberang (Indonesian); durian blanda, durian benggala, durian makkah (Malaysia); saua sap (Papua New Guinea); guayabano (Philippines); tiep banla, tiep barang (Cambodia); khan thalot (Laos); thurian-thet, thurian-khaek (Thailand); mang câù-xiêm (Viet Nam).

Botanical characters : The leaves are oblong-obovate, 8-16 ´ 3-7 cm in size, short acuminate at the apex, with 3-7 mm long petiole. Flowers are regular, greenish-yellow, pedicel up to 2.5 cm long with 3 sepals, 6 petals, and numerous stamens with densely pubescent filaments and numerous ovaries.
The ripe fruit is a pseudocarp, long and heart shaped, grows up to 10-20 ´ 15-35 cm, with dark green skin covered with 6 mm long soft spines.
The thurian-thet fruit is the largest among the Annona species, weighing around 1 kg or more.
The flesh or pulp is white, soft, juicy and fragrant. In-between the pulp, numerous brown to blackish seeds are embedded.

Uses : The fruit of thurian-thet can be consumed fresh as a dessert fruit when fully ripe or mixed with ice cream or milk to make a delicious drink. However, more often the puree is consumed after squeezing the pulp through a sieve.
It can be made into a fruit jelly, juice (with the addition of sugar), nectar or syrup.
It is also used in the preparation of ice cream. In Indonesia a sweet cake (dodol sirsak) is made by boiling thurian-thet pulp in water and adding sugar until the mixture hardens.
In the Philippines young thurian-thet fruits with seeds that are still soft are used as a vegetable. Mature but firm fruit may be made into candies of delicate flavour and aroma.

In Thailand and Malaysia where the trees are cultivated mainly in the home garden the thurian-thet fruits are used as a good flavoured nutritional drink.
The fruit consists of about 67.5 percent edible pulp, 20 percent peel, 8 percent seeds and 4 percent core by weight.
It is a good source of vitamin B (0.07 mg/100 g pulp) and vitamin C (20 mg/100 g pulp) and a poor to fair source of calcium and phosphorous (Koesriharti, 1991).

Prospects : At present, this species is confined to home gardens, and because of erratic yield and short shelf-life, there is little expansion of cultivation.
More research on higher yield through improving pollination is needed before the processing industry requirements can be met.
A breakthrough towards production in orchards can be possible if there is enough demand in the processing industry.
The tree is easily propagated and due to its small tree size, which facilitates orchard management, and the short period from planting until first crop, this can greatly reduce the risk involved in commercial production.

EXCELLENT BLOOD PURIFIER

Recommended use: Hypocholesterolemic (reduce cholesterol), cholegogue (facilitates bile secretion), choleretic (secretion and excretion of bile) and blood depurative.
HERCAMPURI is recommended as a complement in treatments for weight and cholesterol reduction. It is also used to treat hepatic affections and as a natural blood purifier.

Product description: It is a native plant from Peru that grows between the 3.500 and 4.300 meters of altitude.
The name of this plant comes from the quechua word “Hjircan pureck” that means “the one who walks from town to town” in reference to the ancient doctors in the Inca’s Empire who used to travel all towns of the Empire using medicinal plants.

Due to its lipotrophical action, HERCAMPURI has a remarkable action on fat metabolism eliminating fatness without cause anorexy. Hence it is used to reduce exogenoustype obesity.
Due to the high amount of bitter substances of the plant, it is an excellent hepatic-depurative, excercising its cholegogue activity.

This product reduces LDL cholesterol levels, known as bad cholesterol, transforming them into biliary acids. The plant’s cholegogue action facilitates bile secretion and as choleretic helps its excretion. It is also highly recommended to treat liver and gall bladder affections.

Several studies performed at the Greater National University of San Marcos of Lima, Peru, confirm these properties. Studies on acute toxicity determine that the plant is innocuous, that is to say, without negative secondary or indirect effects.

Composition of the plant: The components more known of HERCAMPURI are: eritaurine, bitter taste substance of glycoside type; amarogencine and gentiapicrine, gentian and gentiamarine; eritrocentaurine, crystallized substance and insipid, lactins restored gentiapicrosides, volatile oils, sugars, mucilages, tannins, gentianic acid, hemicellulose and minerals (aluminum, calcium, potassium, sodium, magnesium and chlorine).

Part of the plant used: The aerial part of Gentianella alborosea plant is used.

Presentations: Bottles of 90, 150 or 250 capsules. Each capsule contains 320 mg of dehydrated HERCAMPURI powder. No starch, salts, artificial colors or preservatives added.

Suggested dose: Take 1 to 3 capsules a daily before meals.

Important: After two months of continuous consumption, interrupt usage for one week.
Do not take during pregnancy. Consult a physician before using this product if you are being treated for any medical condition. Not recommended for patients with hipoglicemy.

Caution and Adverse reactions: Have not been reported.