EPAZOTE

Epazote essential oil contains ascaridole (up to 70%), limonene, p-cymene, and smaller amounts of numerous other monoterpenes and monoterpene derivatives (α-pinene, myrcene, terpinene, thymol, camphor and trans-isocarveol). 
Epazote is rather an uncommon constituent of spices; another plant owing much of its character to this monoterpene peroxide is boldo. 
Epazote is slightly toxic and has a pungent, not very pleasant flavor. 

CAS Number: 512-85-6
Molecular Formula: C10H16O2
Molecular Weight: 168.23
EINECS Number: 208-147-4

Synonyms: ASCARIDOLE, 512-85-6, Ascaridol, 1,4-Peroxido-p-menthene-2, 1,4-Peroxy-p-menth-2-ene, 1,4-Epidioxy-p-menth-2-ene, Ascaricum, Ascarisin, Askaridol, 2,3-Dioxabicyclo[2.2.2]oct-5-ene, 1-methyl-4-(1-methylethyl)-, NSC 406266, CHEBI:2866, 1-Methyl-4-(1-methylethyl)-2,3-dioxabicyclo(2.2.2)oct-5-ene, 2,3-Dioxabicyclo(2.2.2)oct-5-ene, 1-isopropyl-4-methyl-, 2,3-Dioxabicyclo(2.2.2)oct-5-ene, 1-methyl-4-(1-methylethyl)-, NSC-406266, NSC-406924, p-Menth-2-ene, 1,4-epidioxy-, 1-methyl-4-(1-methylethyl)-2,3-dioxabicyclo[2.2.2]oct-5-ene, EINECS 208-147-4, UNII-1718D0GEVJ, AI3-11049, 1-Isopropyl-4-methyl-2,3-Dioxabicyclo(2.2.2)oct-5-ene, 1-Isopropyl-4-methyl-2,3-dioxabicyclo[2.2.2]oct-5-ene, 4-methyl-1-(propan-2-yl)-2,3-dioxabicyclo[2.2.2]oct-5-ene, 4-methyl-1-(propan-2-yl)-2,3-dioxabicyclo(2.2.2)oct-5-ene, (+-)-Ascaridole, Ascaridole, (+-)-, 208-147-4, ascaridole (mart.), Ascaridiol, cis-Ascaridole, 1-methyl-4-propan-2-yl-2,3-dioxabicyclo[2.2.2]oct-5-ene, 1,4-Epidioxy-2-p-menthene, 2, 1-isopropyl-4-methyl-, p-Menth-2-ene,4-epidioxy-, 2, 1-methyl-4-(1-methylethyl)-, WLN: T66 A B AO BO DUTJ CY F, Ascaridole (organic peroxide) [Forbidden], Uncinacina, Ascapurin, 1-methyl-4-(propan-2-yl)-2,3-dioxabicyclo[2.2.2]oct-5-ene, Kebal II, SCHEMBL156673, 1, 4-Peroxy-p-menth-2-ene, CHEMBL467614, 1, 4-Epidioxy-p-menth-2-ene, NSC406266, NSC406924, AKOS004910035, FA179595, TS-08412, HY-118494, CS-0066135, NS00010548, C09836, G86204, Q419442, 1-isopropyl-4-methyl-7-oxabicyclo[2.2.1]hept-2-ene, 1-Isopropyl-4-methyl-2,3-dioxabicyclo[2.2.2]oct-5-ene #, 1-Methyl-4-(1-methylethyl)-2,3-dioxabicyclo[2.2.2]oct-5-ene, 9CI, 1-Methyl-4-(1-methylethyl)-2,3-dioxabicyclo(2.2.2)oct-5-ene, 2,3-Dioxabicyclo(2.2.2)oct-5-ene, 1-isopropyl-4-methyl-, Ascaricum, Ascaridiol, Ascaridol, Ascaridole epoxide, Ascarisin, Askaridol

Epazote, formerly Chenopodium ambrosioides, Jesuit's tea, Mexican tea or wormseed, is an annual or short-lived perennial herb native to the Americas.
Epazote is an annual or short-lived perennial herb, growing to 1.2 m (4 ft) tall, irregularly branched, with oblong-lanceolate leaves up to 12 cm (4+1⁄2 in) long. 
The flowers are small and green, produced in a branched panicle at the apex of the stem.

As well as in its native areas, it is grown in warm temperate to subtropical areas of Europe and the United States (Missouri, New England, Eastern US), sometimes becoming an invasive weed.
Epazote is an aromatic herb native to Central and South America, scientifically known as Dysphania ambrosioides (formerly Chenopodium ambrosioides), and it has been used for centuries in both traditional medicine and Latin American cuisine for its distinctive flavor and purported health benefits. 
The name “epazote” comes from the Nahuatl language—ēpazōtl—which was spoken by the Aztecs, indicating the herb’s long-standing cultural significance among Indigenous peoples of Mexico.

Epazote is most commonly used in Mexican and Guatemalan cooking, especially in dishes involving beans, such as black or pinto beans, because it is believed to reduce the intestinal gas often associated with legumes. 
The herb’s sharp, earthy flavor can also complement quesadillas, moles, soups, tamales, and other regional dishes, although it is typically used in small quantities due to its overpowering taste.
A p-menthane monoterpenoid that is p-menth-2-ene with a peroxy group across position 1 to 4.

The plant itself is a hardy, fast-growing annual or short-lived perennial that can reach over one meter in height and is easily recognized by its serrated leaves and strong, pungent aroma, which some describe as a mix of mint, citrus, and even gasoline due to its high content of ascaridole, a naturally occurring organic compound.
Epazote is largely responsible for epazote’s distinctive scent as well as many of its traditional medicinal uses and potential toxic effects in large doses.

In pure form, Epazote decomposes violently upon heating, but this is relatively weak in regards to energy release, since breaking the oxygen bond will not destroy the entire molecule.
Epazote content is lower in epazote from Mexico than in epazote grown in Europe or Asia.
Epazote is a historically significant plant with multifaceted uses in both food and folk medicine, appreciated for its unique flavor profile and potential digestive benefits, though it should always be used with caution and in moderation due to its strong chemical properties.

The common Spanish name epazote (sometimes spelled and pronounced ipasote or ypasote) is derived from the Nahuatl word epazōtl.
Epazote is a large, loosely branched almost weedy looking annual growing to about 4 feet tall with reddish stems. 
The leaves are green and sharply toothed. 

The plant produces small yellow-green flowers along its stem. 
Epazote flavor is extremely strong and distinctive and has been compared to a combination of cilantro, anise, strong licorice, pine, camphor and eucalyptus.

Melting point: 106–107 °C (dec.)
Boiling point: 172.3 ± 20.0 °C
Density: 1.051 ± 0.06 g/cm³ (20 °C, 760 Torr)
Refractive index: 1.4769 (589.3 nm, 25 °C)
Flash point: 55.9 ± 28.6 °C
Storage temp.: Amber vial, –20 °C freezer
Form: Liquid
Color: Colorless unstable liquid
Optical activity: –0.520
LogP: 2.244 (est)

Epazote essential oil has historically been used in pharmaceuticals and home remedies, although its medical use has declined due to the toxicity of ascaridole, which, in high doses, can cause symptoms such as nausea, dizziness, headaches, tremors, and even liver or kidney damage. 
Because of these risks, the essential oil is regulated or discouraged in many countries for internal use, and the fresh or dried leaves are preferred for culinary purposes, where they are typically safe when consumed in moderation.

Epazote is extremely easy to grow from seed in a full sun location with moist, well-drained soil.  
In order to have a fresh supply of leaves it is suggested to make successive sowings of Epazote every 2-3 weeks.  
Epazote self-seeds very freely and may become invasive in the garden. 

In cooking, epazote plays a distinctive role in Mexican cuisine, especially in Oaxacan and Yucatecan dishes, where it is valued not only for its intense, somewhat spicy, resinous flavor, but also for its reputed ability to reduce bloating and gas that often result from eating beans. 
Unlike herbs like cilantro or basil, epazote is not typically used fresh as a garnish due to its overpowering taste; rather, it is usually cooked into dishes such as frijoles de la olla, tamales, salsas, quesadillas, and chilaquiles to impart a subtle depth and earthy complexity when used in small amounts.

The species was described in 1753 by Carl Linnaeus as Chenopodium ambrosioides.
Some researchers treated it as a highly polymorphic species with several subspecies. 
Today these are considered as their own species within genus Dysphania (e.g. American wormseed, Chenopodium ambrosioides var. 

The generic name Epazote was traditionally applied in the 1930s to some species endemic to Australia. 
Placement and rank of this taxon have ranged from a mere section within Chenopodium to the sole genus of a separate family, Dysphaniaceae, or a representative of the Illicebraceae. 
The close affinity of Epazote to "glandular" species of Chenopodium sensu lato is now evident.

The specific epithet ambrosioides refers to the plant's resemblance to unrelated plants of the genus Ambrosia, in the aster family.
In traditional medicine, epazote has been used as a vermifuge, or deworming agent, particularly for expelling intestinal parasites such as roundworms. 
Epazote has also been used to address issues such as indigestion, menstrual discomfort, respiratory infections, and flatulence, although modern clinical evidence for these effects is limited, and excessive intake can pose health risks due to its toxic essential oil components.

Epazote is a hardy, strongly aromatic herb that grows abundantly in warm climates and is often found along roadsides, gardens, and disturbed soils throughout Mexico, Central America, and parts of the southern United States, where it thrives without much cultivation due to its resilient and invasive nature. 
The plant’s appearance is marked by jagged, dark green leaves and small, clustered green flowers, and it often gives off a pungent odor that many describe as medicinal, petrol-like, or reminiscent of creosote, which sets it apart from other culinary herbs and is largely attributed to the presence of ascaridole, a monoterpene oxide found in the plant’s essential oil.

In traditional Mesoamerican cultures, epazote has held both culinary and spiritual importance, often used not only to flavor food but also in ritualistic practices believed to cleanse negative energy or ward off evil spirits, especially when burned as incense or used in herbal baths. 
From a medicinal standpoint, Indigenous and rural communities have relied on epazote for generations as a natural remedy for various ailments, particularly for treating intestinal worms, stomach cramps, indigestion, and even respiratory problems, although modern pharmacology recognizes that its use must be carefully limited due to the potential toxicity of some of its active compounds.

Uses Of Epazote:
Epazote has a wide range of traditional and practical uses, especially in Mexican and Central American cultures, where it has been valued for both its culinary and medicinal properties for centuries. 
One of its most well-known uses is in cooking, where small amounts of the fresh or dried leaves are added to dishes—particularly to bean-based meals such as black beans or pinto beans—to reduce flatulence and bloating, a property believed to stem from the herb’s natural ability to neutralize certain gas-producing compounds during digestion.

An organic peroxide which constitutes 60-80% of oil of chenopodium. 
Ideally collected before going to seed, D. ambrosioides is used as a leaf vegetable, herb, and herbal tea for its pungent flavor. 
Raw, Epazote has a resinous, medicinal pungency, similar to oregano, anise, fennel, or even tarragon, but stronger. 

The fragrance of D. ambrosioides is strong and unique.
A common analogy is to turpentine or creosote. 
Epazote has also been compared to citrus, savory, and mint.

Although Epazote is traditionally used with black beans for flavor and its antiflatulent properties, it is also sometimes used to flavor other traditional Mexican dishes: it can be used to season quesadillas and sopes (especially those containing huitlacoche), soups, mole de olla, tamales with cheese and chili peppers, chilaquiles, eggs and potatoes, esquites, and enchiladas. 
Epazote is often used as an herb in fried white rice, and it is an important ingredient for making the green salsa for chilaquiles.

Curiously, outside of Mexico, the herb is also being used in the Philippines as an ingredient in the Ilocano version of the dish called "Pipian," which is also Mexican in origin. 
Epazote is considered to be one of the most important herbs in the preparation of traditional Mexican dishes including tamales, salsa, black beans, enchilada and mole. 

Epazote is prized for its pungent, resinous, and slightly peppery flavor, which adds a unique depth to traditional foods like quesadillas, moles, tamales, soups, stews, and eggs, making it an important ingredient in regional cuisines, especially in the southern states of Mexico such as Oaxaca, Chiapas, and Yucatán. 
Despite its strong aroma—which many find intense or even unpleasant—when cooked properly, it enhances the flavor of savory dishes in a way that no other herb quite replicates.

From a medicinal perspective, epazote has long been used in folk medicine as a vermifuge, meaning it helps expel intestinal parasites like roundworms and hookworms, especially in rural or Indigenous communities where synthetic anthelmintic drugs were historically unavailable or unaffordable. 
Epazote has also been prepared in teas or infusions to relieve indigestion, abdominal cramps, menstrual pain, and respiratory ailments, although modern science has cautioned against these uses due to the potential toxicity of compounds such as ascaridole, which can be harmful in high doses or with frequent use.

Some cultures have also used epazote externally in the form of compresses or poultices to help reduce inflammation or skin irritations, while in traditional spiritual or shamanic practices, the herb has been used in ritual cleansings or incense burning to ward off evil or negative energy, reflecting its cultural significance beyond just practical health and cooking applications.
In recent times, while its role in mainstream medicine has declined due to concerns about toxicity, epazote remains a valued culinary herb, and is still used cautiously in herbal medicine and home remedies in many parts of Latin America. 
Additionally, scientists have shown some interest in studying its essential oil for its antimicrobial, antifungal, and insecticidal properties, which suggests that epazote may have further potential in natural product development if used in carefully controlled forms and doses.

Safety Profile Of Epazote:
Epazote, while valued for its culinary and traditional medicinal uses, carries several notable hazards, especially when consumed in large quantities or in the form of concentrated essential oil, due to the presence of a toxic compound called ascaridole.
One of the main hazards of epazote is its potential toxicity to humans and animals. 
Epazote, found in relatively high amounts in epazote's essential oil, is a monoterpene peroxide known to have neurotoxic and hepatotoxic properties, meaning it can harm the nervous system and liver when consumed in excessive amounts. 

Symptoms of ascaridole poisoning may include nausea, vomiting, severe abdominal pain, dizziness, muscle tremors, seizures, and in extreme cases, even death, particularly if the essential oil is ingested directly or in large doses.
Another concern is that pregnant women should avoid consuming large amounts of epazote—especially in tea or oil form—because the herb has abortifacient properties, meaning it may stimulate uterine contractions and potentially cause miscarriage.

For this reason, its traditional use in pregnancy-related remedies is strongly discouraged by modern medical professionals.
Questionable carcinogen with experimental neoplastigenic and tumorigenic data. 

Flammable by spontaneous chemical reaction.
Explodes when heated > 130℃ or when exposed to organic acids. 
Dangerous; heating emits toxic fumes and may explode; reacts with reducing materials.