IngredientsThe common name japecanga (also spelled jupicanga or japecanga-graúda) is applied principally to two closely related South American species within the genus Smilax: Smilax brasiliensis Sprengel and Smilax fluminensis Steud. Both belong to the family Smilacaceae, and both are monocotyledons. Smilax brasiliensis Sprengel is a monocotyledon of the Smilacaceae family, native to the Brazilian Cerrado, popularly known as "salsaparrilha" or "japecanga." The species S. fluminensis is also widely referred to as japecanga in ethnobotanical surveys, particularly in Mato Grosso and surrounding states. Both species are part of the larger Smilax genus—commonly known as sarsaparilla—which is a genus comprising over 267 species, predominantly recorded as native to the tropical, subtropical, and temperate habitats of the Old and New World.
In the broader context of sarsaparilla taxonomy, japecanga is specifically the Brazilian regional designation for these native Cerrado species, while the genus name Smilax encompasses hundreds of species distributed globally. Sarsaparilla is not one plant, but refers to a large group of Smilax species, many of which have medicinal properties and can be used in a similar way.
Smilax brasiliensis Sprengel is a monocotyledon belonging to the family Smilacaceae. It is a native species of the Brazilian Cerrado and presents itself as a shrub, a climbing vine, or even a tree, being popularly known as japecanga or sarsaparilla. The species is a climbing plant, characterized by oval, leathery leaves with three central veins and spines only on the central vein of the abaxial surface; stems bear several spines. The flowers are greenish, the berry globose, green to wine-purplish and black. The seeds are reddish.
Regarding geographic distribution, S. brasiliensis, popularly known as "japecanga" or "sarsaparilha", is native to the Cerrado, a biome that occupies 25% of Brazilian territory. It is widely distributed in the Midwest (Federal District, Goiás, Mato Grosso do Sul, Mato Grosso) and Southeast (Minas Gerais, São Paulo) regions of Brazil.
Smilax fluminensis, the second species frequently called japecanga, is described as a dioecious liana characterized by branches with 1–3 cataphylls, sheaths with expanded margins, petioles with two tendrils, adult leaf blades cordate and coriaceous, with staminate flowers having 6 tepals measuring 6–7 × 1.8–2 mm in length, and fruits that are orange when ripe.
Japecanga is known by several names across different regions and traditions:
In folk medicine, the roots and rhizomes are the main parts used. S. brasiliensis is used in folk medicine to treat inflammation, skin infections, and sexually transmitted diseases. These effects are reported for leaves and roots, which could be related to phenolic acids, flavonoids, triterpenoids, coumarins, saponins, and steroids.
Common preparation forms documented in ethnobotanical and phytochemical literature include:
Sarsaparilla extracts can be obtained by maceration, digestion, decoction, infusion, or lixiviation.
Japecanga has a deep-rooted history in the folk medicine of Brazil, used primarily by indigenous communities and rural populations of the Cerrado biome. Roots of Smilax species, named as salsaparrilha, have been used for centuries in Asia and the Americas as a depurative (meaning "for cleaning blood"). In folk medicine, it is used for the treatment of sexually transmitted diseases, cutaneous conditions, and inflammatory diseases, and as a diuretic, diaphoretic, and depurative agent, the roots and rhizomes being the main parts used.
Smilax brasiliensis, known as "salsaparrilha" and "japecanga", is a plant native to the Brazilian Cerrado, used in folk medicine as an antirheumatic, anti-syphilis, antihypertensive, and diuretic.
Ethnobotanical surveys in traditional communities throughout Brazil have documented the ongoing use of both types of salsaparrilha. More recent ethnobotanical surveys in traditional communities in Brazil have revealed that both types of salsaparrilha are still used mainly as "depurative." In ethnobotanical surveys of forest fragments in Dourados (Mato Grosso do Sul), Smilax fluminensis was recorded as known popularly among local residents as japecanga-graúda, with the leaf tea employed as a depurative of the blood.
As the broader sarsaparilla tradition, the genus Smilax was historically used across cultures on multiple continents. Smilax has been traditionally used for centuries to treat a range of ailments, including diabetes, gout, rheumatism, skin disorders, and syphilis. Sarsaparilla's documented use dates back to pre-Columbian times among Mesoamerican civilizations like the Maya and Aztecs, who revered its root for blood purification and digestive toning. Spanish conquistadors in the 16th century noted how indigenous healers brewed decoctions from the root, calling it "zarzaparrilla."
In South America specifically, these plants were one of the most important exports from the Brazilian Amazon until the 19th century. European naturalists documented japecanga's uses from the 19th century onward: information regarding the use of beneficial native Brazilian plants was compiled by European naturalists in the 19th century, including the French botanist Auguste de Saint-Hilaire (1779–1853), one of the most important such naturalists.
In Asian traditional medicine traditions, related Smilax species have been formally codified. The rhizomes of S. china and S. glabra, called "Jin Gang Teng" and "Tu Fu Lin" in the Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China respectively, are clinically used to treat chronic pelvic inflammatory disease, rheumatic arthritis, and other conditions.
Phytochemical investigations of S. brasiliensis and S. fluminensis have identified a rich and diverse array of bioactive compounds. To date, at least 1,058 compounds have been identified from Smilax species, including flavonoids, phenolic acids, steroidal saponins, polysaccharides, and stilbenoids.
For S. brasiliensis stems specifically: Fatty acid esters, hydrocarbons, and phytosterols were identified in the hexane fraction analyzed by GC–MS. The ethanol extract and polar fractions were analyzed by LC–DAD–MS, and the identified constituents included glycosylated flavonoids such as rutin, 3-O-β-galactopyranosyl quercetin, 3-O-β-glucopyranosyl quercetin, O-deoxyhexosyl-hexosyl quercetin, and O-deoxyhexosyl-hexosyl kaempferol.
Identified constituents included glycosylated and non-glycosylated flavonoids, especially quercetin, and phenylpropanoids, such as chlorogenic acids.
The steroidal saponins are regarded as chemotaxonomically characteristic of Smilax species and among their most pharmacologically significant compounds. Chemical investigation on Smilax species showed they are rich sources of steroidal saponins with diversified structure types, including spirostane, isospirostane, furostane, pregnane, and cholestane.
Smilax species contain a number of steroidal saponins, including sarsaponin, smilasaponin (smilacin), sarsaparilloside and its aglycones sarsasaponin (parillin), sarsasapogenin (parigenin), and smilagenin. Other saponins include diosgenin, furostanol, tigogenin, and asperagenin, as well as the phytosterols sitosterol, stigmasterol, and pollinastanol. At least 50 phenolic compounds and flavonoids have been described, including flavonol glycosides such as isoastilbin, isoengetitin, and astilbin.
The chemical constituents of several Smilax species have been reported to include triterpenoid and steroidal saponins (sarsaparilloside, parillin), steroidal sapogenins (smilagenin, sarsapogenin), stilbenes (resveratrol), flavonoids (astilbin and others), phenylpropanoid glycosides (smilasides D, E, and F), and epicatechins.
Flavonoids constitute an important fraction of japecanga's bioactive compounds. The genus Smilax revealed the presence of a variety of flavonoids such as apigenin, quercetin, myricetin, kaempferol, and engeletin.
In the first dedicated phytochemical study of S. fluminensis leaves, this was the first chemical study of the antiradical potential of Smilax fluminensis Steud., Smilacaceae, leaves crude extract and fractions and the elucidation of two structurally isolated flavonoids. Quercetin-3-O-α-L-rhamnopyranoside(1-6)-O-β-D-glucopyranoside and quercetin-3-O-β-L-galactopyranoside were elucidated by spectrometric methods (¹H and ¹³C NMR and mass).
Astilbin, a flavanone glycoside, is especially notable across the genus: Astilbin, a main flavonoid among Smilax species, showed unique immunosuppressive activity, and proved to be the active material basis of Smilax species for the treatment of human immune diseases.
Simple phenolic acids can be classified as hydroxybenzoic (gallic, protocatechuic, p-hydroxybenzoic, and syringic acids) and hydroxycinnamic acids (p-coumaric, caffeic, ferulic, and sinapic acids) and present high commercial value. Chlorogenic acid has been quantified at notably high levels in S. brasiliensis. Extracts of S. brasiliensis showed the presence of saponins in LC analysis, but S. brasiliensis has a higher concentration of phenolics, mainly chlorogenic acid.
In the chemical composition of S. brasiliensis leaves, antioxidant and cytotoxic effects were evaluated for the ethanol extract and fractions. Fatty acid esters and phytol were characterised in the hexane fraction. Additional constituents found across the genus include starch (constituting up to approximately 50% of the root dry weight), resin, cetyl alcohol, and volatile oils.
Steroidal saponins are commercially important since they serve as key components for the synthesis of vitamin D, certain corticoids, progesterone, testosterone, and some oral contraceptives. This pharmaceutical precursor role has historically motivated significant scientific and commercial interest in sarsaparilla-type plants, though this synthetic pathway uses isolated sapogenin aglycones and does not reflect any direct hormonal effect from consuming the whole plant or its extracts.
The antioxidant activity of S. brasiliensis extracts is among the best-characterized bioactivities. Studies on stem extracts demonstrated pronounced free radical scavenging capacity: The ethanol extract, dichloromethane, and ethyl acetate fractions showed high total contents of phenolic compounds (112.99, 175.71, and 524.02 µg of GAE/mg, respectively), and in the ethyl acetate and dichloromethane fractions a great content of flavonoids was also quantified (50.08 and 31.49 µg of QE/mg, respectively). The extracts exhibited great antioxidant potential by DPPH (IC₅₀ 1.71–32.83 µg/mL) and FRAP (IC₅₀ 0.63–6.71 µg/mL) assays. The antioxidant activity was significantly more pronounced for the methanol extract and fractions than that of the commercial antioxidant BHT (2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenol).
For the broader genus, flavonoids are proposed to inhibit pro-inflammatory enzyme pathways. Steroidal saponins may modulate inflammation through membrane stabilization and cytokine suppression. The diverse ethnomedicinal uses of Smilax species have prompted comprehensive investigations into their phytochemical constituents. These phytochemicals from Smilax species have been progressively discovered to exhibit a wide range of biological activities including antibacterial, anticancer, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antioxidant, cytoprotective, hepatoprotective, immunomodulatory, and neuroprotective effects.
In the specific context of pain and inflammation models, studies on the related S. larvata species (used ethnopharmacologically in southern Brazil for anti-inflammatory action) identified mechanistic pathways: The phytochemical analysis of the EtOAc extract of S. larvata revealed the presence of three flavonoids, drabanemoroside, kaempferol 3-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1→2)-α-L-rhamno-pyranoside, and kaempferol, the first two being isolated for the first time in this genus, as well as two phenolic compounds, p-hydroxybenzoic acid and p-coumaric acid, and alkaloids. Treatment with the extract induced a significant reduction of the formalin-evoked flinches in rats, an effect reversed by the opioid antagonist naloxone. Treatment also induced a significant increase in the hot plate latency and a decrease of intestinal motility by 45%.
Many of sarsaparilla's pharmacological properties and actions have been attributed to its steroids and saponins. The saponins have been reported to facilitate the body's absorption of other drugs and phytochemicals, which accounts for their history of use in herbal formulas as an agent for bioavailability enhancement.
Regarding lipid-lowering mechanisms: The presence of steroidal saponins might be responsible for the reduction of cholesterol levels, while phenolics in S. brasiliensis may act through the metabolism of triglycerides and better fat distribution.
Important framing note: Most current findings are derived from preliminary in vitro and in vivo (animal) studies. Future research should focus on clinically relevant, mechanistic, and integrative approaches to fully elucidate therapeutic potential and facilitate the development of evidence-based applications. No controlled clinical trials in human subjects specific to S. brasiliensis or S. fluminensis were identified in the available peer-reviewed literature at the time of this writing.
Evidence level: In vitro — preliminary.
Multiple laboratory studies have confirmed antioxidant activity in extracts of S. brasiliensis. A 2023 study published in a ScienceDirect-indexed journal characterized the chemical profile of S. brasiliensis stems and evaluated antioxidant potential using DPPH and FRAP assays. The ethyl acetate fraction exhibited the highest phenolic content (524.02 µg GAE/mg) and flavonoid content, while antioxidant potential by DPPH ranged from IC₅₀ 1.71 to 32.83 µg/mL and FRAP from IC₅₀ 0.63 to 6.71 µg/mL across fractions. A separate study on leaves confirmed: Antioxidant activity was assessed using the DPPH method and the ferric-reducing antioxidant power assay; all samples exhibited antioxidant activity according to the methods employed. These findings are consistent with the high phenolic and flavonoid content documented in the plant, but no human intervention trials have been conducted.
Evidence level: In vivo (animal study) — preliminary.
A PubMed-indexed study (Brandão et al., published in a peer-reviewed journal and indexed on PubMed PMID 28455016) evaluated the antihyperlipidemic and antihyperglycemic effects of S. brasiliensis root extracts in mice. The antihyperlipidemic and antihyperglycemic effects of extracts from roots of Smilax brasiliensis and H. salsaparrilha in mice fed with a high-refined carbohydrate diet (HC) were evaluated. The chemical composition of the products was determined by LC-DAD and LC-MS; groups of mice that received the HC diet showed an increase in plasma concentrations of glucose, triglycerides, and total cholesterol compared to control group without treatment (p<0.05).
Triglycerides were reduced significantly (p<0.05) in the HC diet group that received 100 and 200 mg/kg BW/day of both salsaparrilha extracts. Glucose and total cholesterol levels were reduced significantly (p<0.05) in the groups that received the higher doses (200 mg/kg BW/day) of both extracts of salsaparrilha. Extracts of S. brasiliensis, at this dose, also showed a higher reduction in triglycerides levels (p<0.001) and promoted a significant reduction in the adipocyte area (p<0.05).
The authors proposed mechanisms: The presence of steroidal saponins might be responsible for the reduction of cholesterol levels, while phenolics in S. brasiliensis may act through the metabolism of triglycerides and better fat distribution. The result is consistent with the traditional use of these plants and shows their potential for use as functional foods. These findings remain limited to an animal model; no human clinical trials have replicated these outcomes.
Evidence level: In vitro and animal model — highly preliminary.
A study published in Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry (Springer, 2021) investigated the antitumor activity of S. fluminensis leaf ethanolic extract in a murine melanoma model. The aim of the study was to investigate the in vitro and in vivo antitumor activity of a leaves ethanol extract from Smilax fluminensis on murine melanoma. The extract was performed by ethylic alcohol and submitted to classical chemical analysis. The chemical analysis indicated a major presence of phenolic compounds and flavonoids. Cytotoxicity test results showed that S. fluminensis extract was active in the B16-F10 line (GI₅₀: 4.37 µg/mL), the extract being considered a promising antineoplastic agent.
In vivo experiments extended these findings: Cytotoxicity tests confirmed activity in the B16-F10 line (GI₅₀: 4.37 µg/mL). In the experimental model, the inhibition percentage of tumoral growth was between 78.77 and 83.49%. Histopathology analysis of nodules showed necrotic cells reduction, adipocytes presence, melanin deposition, vascularization, and an inflammatory process in a concentration-dependent manner. On the liver, animals treated with the extract on both concentrations showed normal hepatic organization, normal hepatocytes, and absence of inflammatory focus.
These results are exclusively in cell lines and mouse models. No human clinical data exist, and substantial further investigation is required before any conclusions can be drawn regarding efficacy in humans.
Evidence level: In vitro — preliminary, species-specific.
Steroidal saponins from Smilax species, including spirostanol and furostanol types, have demonstrated antifungal activity in vitro. A PMC-indexed review (Tian et al., 2017, Natural Products and Bioprospecting) summarizing 104 steroidal saponins reported that one sarsasapogenin glycoside showed antifungal activity against three human pathogenic species — Candida albicans, C. glabrata, and C. tropicalis — with minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of 25, 25, and 50 µg/mL, respectively, while others showed no obvious antifungal activity at 200 µg/mL. Six smilagenin glycosides were also evaluated for antifungal activities against these three pathogenic species; five compounds demonstrated moderate antifungal activity with MIC values between 12.5 and 50 µg/mL.
A separate PubMed-indexed study on spirostanol saponins from Smilax medica confirmed: Two new spirostanol saponins exhibited antifungal activity against the human pathogenic yeasts Candida albicans, C. glabrata, and C. tropicalis (MICs between 6.25 and 50 µg/mL), whereas a third known compound was inactive. Additionally, a study on S. fluminensis noted that the ethanolic extract of S. fluminensis leaves exhibited a fungicidal effect against C. glabrata. All antimicrobial findings to date are from in vitro assays.
Evidence level: In vivo (animal) models — preliminary, mechanism not fully elucidated.
Studies on related Smilax species have investigated the anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive properties of extracts in animal models. For S. ornata (another sarsaparilla species), a study investigated the mechanism of anti-inflammatory activity using oedema-induction models: The methanol extract (400 mg/kg) exhibited anti-inflammatory activity, with an onset of 90 min and duration of 2 h; however, it was not significant when compared with its control group. The maximum anti-inflammatory activity for the methanol extract (400 mg/kg) was achieved at the 180 min interval.
For the anti-inflammatory validation of a Central American species (S. domingensis), extracts from cultivated material were evaluated by antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and immunomodulatory models, confirming the antimicrobial and immunomodulatory activities.
Regarding phenolic compounds from Smilax china rhizomes examined in a PMC-indexed study, selected compounds were evaluated for IL-1β expression inhibitory activities on LPS-induced THP-1 cells. Compounds 10, 15, and 17 showed slightly inhibitory activities, with inhibition rates of 15.8%, 37.3%, and 35.8%, respectively, at a concentration of 50 µg/mL. The other compounds showed no obvious activity at the same concentration. CCK-8 results revealed that these tested compounds showed no obvious cytotoxicities towards THP-1 cells, indicating that the anti-inflammatory activities were not due to cytotoxic effects.
Evidence level: In vitro — preliminary, driven primarily by astilbin.
Astilbin, a main flavonoid among Smilax species, showed unique immunosuppressive activity, and proved to be the active material basis of Smilax species for the treatment of human immune diseases. Pharmacological prospection of several species of Smilax has reported that S. glabra possesses anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antitumor, and antimicrobial effects. No human-specific immunomodulatory clinical data for japecanga species specifically have been identified.
Evidence level: Traditional/ethnobotanical, supported only indirectly by saponin pharmacology.
The traditional use of japecanga as a diuretic is well documented across ethnobotanical surveys. Sarsaparilla may act as a diuretic, leading to increased urination and potential dehydration. The German scientific advisory board (Commission E for Herbal Medicines) warns that sarsaparilla may cause temporary kidney problems, including increased urination. People with kidney disease or taking drugs eliminated through urine should avoid this herb. No controlled human studies on diuretic efficacy specific to japecanga species have been identified.
Evidence level: In vitro / preclinical — preliminary.
Studies at the Federal University of São João del-Rei (UFSJ) evaluated the antioxidant, allelopathic, and larvicidal activities of S. brasiliensis leaf extracts. The aims of this study were to evaluate the antioxidant, allelopathic, and larvicidal activities, besides the cytotoxic, genotoxic, and antigenotoxic effects of the methanolic extract and the fractions of the leaves of S. brasiliensis. Results on antigenotoxic protection were also reported, with one fraction found to show promising antioxidant activity in the context of paracetamol-induced damage: Fraction 1 of Smilax fluminensis leaves has good antioxidant activity in the face of the damage caused by the high dose of paracetamol, and was the most promising.
Based on the convergent evidence from ethnobotanical documentation and the available preclinical scientific literature, japecanga is associated with the following body systems and health areas:
No standardized clinical dosage for japecanga has been established in peer-reviewed clinical trial literature. The following dosages and forms appear only in the contexts specified below:
For traditional preparations, there are no standardized dose parameters recorded in the available peer-reviewed literature specific to japecanga. General sarsaparilla root preparations documented in other sources include decoctions of the root, but no rigorously validated dose-response data for humans exist.
According to the German Commission E monograph, sarsaparilla may cause stomach irritation and temporary kidney irritation. Sarsaparilla should not be taken during pregnancy or breast feeding.
Sarsaparilla might make kidney disease worse. Avoid sarsaparilla if you have kidney problems. According to current medical research, the use of sarsaparilla in patients with kidney disease may exacerbate kidney impairment. This concern is consistent with the plant's documented diuretic activity and the potential for renal stress caused by steroidal saponins at high doses.
The saponins have been reported to facilitate the body's absorption of other drugs and phytochemicals, which accounts for their history of use in herbal formulas as an agent for bioavailability enhancement. This bioavailability-enhancing effect implies a potential risk for interactions with pharmaceutical drugs by altering their absorption and pharmacokinetics. Sarsaparilla should not be taken by people who use medications such as digoxin or lithium, as it can interfere with these drugs and increase the risk of toxicity or side effects.
A man working in a tea factory developed asthma and nasal allergies in response to sarsaparilla dust. While limited research suggests that asthma (chronic lung disease) may be caused by exposure to sarsaparilla root dust in an occupational setting, several researchers have also raised concerns that consumption of this herb may worsen clinical symptoms in asthma patients.
Sarsaparilla has been marketed as containing testosterone and/or other anabolic steroids. While it is a rich source of steroids and saponins, it has never been proven to have any anabolic effects, nor has testosterone been found in sarsaparilla or any other plant source thus far. Steroidal saponins are commercially important since they serve as key components for the synthesis of vitamin D, certain corticoids, progesterone, testosterone, and some oral contraceptives, but this refers to industrial chemical synthesis, not physiological conversion in the human body from consuming the plant.
Sarsaparilla should not be confused with Indian or false sarsaparilla (Hemidesmus indicus, Family: Apocyanaceae). There are reports that this false sarsaparilla is a common impurity found in sarsaparilla preparations. False sarsaparilla contains none of the possibly active chemicals found in true sarsaparilla. Caution is also advised since supplement contamination with heavy metals has been reported.
In the S. fluminensis melanoma study, the animals treated with the extract on both concentrations showed normal hepatic organization, normal hepatocytes, and absence of inflammatory focus in the liver, suggesting no acute hepatotoxic effect at tested doses in that animal model. However, formal toxicological profiling of japecanga species in humans has not been conducted, and the available animal safety data are limited.
Sarsaparilla should not be taken during pregnancy or breast feeding, according to the German Commission E monograph, owing to insufficient safety data and potential hormonal activity from steroidal saponin constituents.
The overall state of scientific evidence for japecanga is best characterized as preliminary. Despite widespread use, phytomedicines face a major challenge due to limited scientific evidence for their mode of action and safety profile in vivo. This highlights the need for conducting toxicity evaluations following established guidelines to ensure their safe use.
No randomized controlled trials (RCTs) or systematic reviews specific to S. brasiliensis or S. fluminensis were identified in peer-reviewed databases. The available human evidence is limited entirely to traditional and ethnobotanical records. Laboratory and animal data show biological plausibility for antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antifungal, metabolic, and antitumor activities, but these findings require clinical validation. In vitro culture studies have yielded promising results, suggesting that culture conditions could improve productivity and conserve the species, although changes were observed in the metabolic profile of S. brasiliensis.
Health conditions that Japecanga may help support.
Body systems that Japecanga may help support.
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