Sinicuichi 10X: a concentrated extract of Heimia salicifolia
Heimia salicifolia is a shrub in the Lythraceae, the loosestrife family. It grows from the southwestern United States, Texas and New Mexico, through Mexico and Central America all the way to Argentina. The species name salicifolia means willow-leaved and refers to the narrow leaves, which is also why English sources call it willow-leaf heimia, alongside names such as sinicuichi and sun opener. This jar holds the extract of that plant, not the loose leaf.
In a 10X extract, ten grams of plant material are reduced to one gram of powder. You therefore need considerably less of it than of the dried herb, and it dissolves faster. The jar contains 1 gram, which at the usual half gram per cup works out at roughly two cups.
Preparing the extract
- Boil a cup of water and let it cool for a moment.
- Stir about 0.5 gram of extract into the hot water.
- Cover the cup and leave it for 25 minutes.
- Stir once more and add honey to taste.
The herb tastes bitter, so honey or a dash of fruit juice helps. Regular or long term use is not advised.
What is known about the plant
Several alkaloids have been described in Heimia salicifolia. Vertine, also known as cryogenine, is reported in the literature as the most abundant constituent of alkaloidal extracts, with lyfoline, lythrine, heimidine and lythridine mentioned alongside it. A 2008 study by Kempf and colleagues detected five different alkaloids in plant material. The reputation of sinicuichi as a ritual preparation comes from nineteenth and twentieth century literature and is disputed in more recent sources, and the pharmacology of the plant has not been resolved. We therefore make no claims about what this product does.
Storage and good to know
Keep the jar cool, dry and dark, tightly closed and out of reach of children. Not suitable for anyone under 18. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding or taking medication, consult your doctor first. This is a botanical product and not a medicine; use remains your own responsibility.
Related products
If you would rather work with loose herb, Avalon Magic Plants stocks Sinicuichi 20 gram dried leaf. The same category also holds Motherwort extract 12:1, Nymphaea alba 12:1 and damiana 10:1, among others. Every order leaves in discreet packaging.
