Mespilodaphne cymbarum

Mespilodaphne cymbarum
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Magnoliids
Order:	Laurales
Family:	Lauraceae
Genus:	Mespilodaphne
Species:	M. cymbarum
Binomial name
Mespilodaphne cymbarum (Kunth) Trofimov
Synonyms
Alseodaphne amara (Mart.) Kostel. Alseodaphne cymbarum (Kunth) Kostel. Laurus coruscans Willd. ex Nees Licaria cymbarum (Kunth) Pittier Misanteca cymbarum (Kunth) Lundell Nectandra amara Nees ex Meisn., not validly publ. Nectandra barcellensis Meisn. Nectandra caparrapii Sand.-Groot ex Nates Nectandra cymbarum (Kunth) Nees Nectandra elaiophora Barb.Rodr. Nectandra oleifera Posada-Ar. ex Nates Ocotea amara Mart. (1830) Ocotea amara Mart. (1831), nom. illeg. Ocotea barcellensis (Meisn.) Mez Ocotea caparrapii (Sand.-Groot ex Nates) Dugand Ocotea cymbarum Kunth (basionym) Oreodaphne oleifera Posada-Ar.

Mespilodaphne cymbarum is a species of flowering plant in the family Lauraceae. It is an evergreen tree found in northern Brazil, Colombia, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, and Venezuela.

Medical uses

The essential oils from Mespilodaphne cymbarum are often used in the synthesis of MDMA (contracted form of 3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine); a psychoactive drug of the substituted methylenedioxyphenethylamine and substituted amphetamine classes of drugs that is consumed primarily for its euphoric and empathogenic effects. Pharmacologically, MDMA acts as a serotonin-norepinephrine-dopamine releasing agent and reuptake inhibitor.