Suma

What Is Suma?

Suma is a South American vine whose large root is taken as a general tonic. Its Portuguese folk name, para toda, means “for all things”, and it is used as a restorative across a wide range of complaints rather than for one ^{38Reference 38Taylor · 2005The Healing Power of Rainforest Herbs: A Guide to Understanding and Using Herbal Medicinals — reference text}. It is widely sold as Brazilian ginseng.

Pfaffia paniculata grows from Peru and Bolivia across Brazil to Paraguay and north-eastern Argentina ^{40Reference 40GBIF Secretariat (n.d.)Hebanthe erianthos (Poir.) Pedersen — accepted name, synonyms (including Pfaffia paniculata and Hebanthe eriantha) and native distribution, from the World Checklist of Vascular Plants — species databaseView study →}. It is a rambling, shrubby ground vine with a deep, extensive root system, and the root is harvested from the wild and exported ^{39Reference 39FernFern, K. (n.d.). Pfaffia paniculata — habit, root system, range, synonyms and wild harvest — plant database. Useful Tropical Plants Database. https://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Pfaffia+paniculataView study →}.

The root is roughly 11% saponins, chiefly the pfaffosides built on pfaffic acid, and it contains the phytoecdysteroid 20-hydroxyecdysone ^{38Reference 38Taylor · 2005The Healing Power of Rainforest Herbs: A Guide to Understanding and Using Herbal Medicinals — reference text}. Research has looked at its anticancer, anti-inflammatory and hormone-modulating activity, almost entirely in animals and cell cultures ^{1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,21Reference 1Matsuzaki et al. · 2003Effect of Pfaffia paniculata (Brazilian ginseng) on the Ehrlich tumor in its ascitic form — animal studyView study →Reference 2da Silva et al. · 2005AnimalInhibitory effects of Pfaffia paniculata on preneoplastic and neoplastic lesions in a mouse hepatocarcinogenesis model — animal studyView study →Reference 3Matsuzaki et al. · 2006Antineoplastic effects of butanolic residue of Pfaffia paniculata — animal studyView study →Reference 4Carneiro et al. · 2007AnimalPfaffia paniculata methanolic extract reduces angiogenesis in mice — animal studyView study →Reference 5da Silva et al. · 2010AnimalPfaffia paniculata roots decrease proliferation and increase apoptosis but do not affect cell communication in murine hepatocarcinogenesis — animal studyView study →Reference 6Nagamine et al. · 2009In vitroCytotoxic effects of butanolic extract from Pfaffia paniculata on the human breast cancer cell line MCF-7 — in vitro studyView study →Reference 7da Silva et al. · 2015In vitroPfaffosidic fraction from Hebanthe paniculata induces cell cycle arrest and caspase-3-induced apoptosis in HepG2 cells — in vitro studyView study →Reference 8Watanabe et al. · 2000AnimalEffects of oral administration of Pfaffia paniculata on incidence of spontaneous leukemia in AKR/J mice — animal studyView study →Reference 9Rahamouz-Haghighi et al. · 2024In vitroAntiproliferative assay of suma (Hebanthe eriantha) methanolic extract on HCT116 and 4T1 cancer cell lines, in vitro toxicity, and antibacterial activity — in vitro studyView study →Reference 10Costa et al. · 2015Anti-inflammatory effects of Brazilian ginseng (Pfaffia paniculata) on TNBS-induced intestinal inflammation — animal studyView study →Reference 11Costa et al. · 2018Pfaffia paniculata extract modulates Mapk and mucin pathways in intestinal inflammation — animal studyView study →Reference 12Pinello et al. · 2006Effects of Pfaffia paniculata extract on macrophage activity — animal studyView study →Reference 21Oshima et al. · 2003AnimalPfaffia paniculata-induced changes in plasma estradiol-17β, progesterone and testosterone levels in mice — animal studyView study →}.

The name Brazilian ginseng is also used for other Pfaffia species, including P. glomerata, which is a different plant ^{30,32Reference 30Rodrigues et al. · 2013Development of an analytical method for the quantification of pfaffic acid in Brazilian ginseng (Hebanthe eriantha) — analytical studyView study →Reference 32Cotrim Ribeiro et al. · 2024ReviewA comprehensive review of Pfaffia glomerata botany, ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry, biological activities and biotechnology — reviewView study →}.

How Is Suma Used?

Suma is used as the dried root, taken over time as a tonic.

• Powdered root — in capsules or as a tea.
• Root decoction — the root simmered in water, the usual folk preparation.
• Liquid extract — a 1:2 extract of the root.

It is taken for general debility and fatigue, for low libido, for immune and inflammatory complaints such as asthma and rheumatism, for metabolic problems, and alongside other treatment in cancer care ^{38Reference 38Taylor · 2005The Healing Power of Rainforest Herbs: A Guide to Understanding and Using Herbal Medicinals — reference text}. In Brazil it is also taken for anaemia, including sickle-cell anaemia ^{38Reference 38Taylor · 2005The Healing Power of Rainforest Herbs: A Guide to Understanding and Using Herbal Medicinals — reference text}.

Traditional Uses

Traditional Peruvian Medicine

The drug is the deep taproot, dried and powdered or decocted. In Peru it is a tonic in two senses at once, a sexual tonic and a general restorative, and the para toda name records that breadth ^{38Reference 38Taylor · 2005The Healing Power of Rainforest Herbs: A Guide to Understanding and Using Herbal Medicinals — reference text}.

It is taken for flagging libido and sexual function, low vitality and convalescence. It is also used as a vulnerary and antibacterial for ulcers of the skin and the digestive tract ^{38Reference 38Taylor · 2005The Healing Power of Rainforest Herbs: A Guide to Understanding and Using Herbal Medicinals — reference text}.

Traditional Brazilian Medicine

Brazilian practice gives the same root a wider range of uses. It is taken for anaemia, arthritis, asthma, cancer, chronic fatigue, poor circulation, diabetes, Epstein-Barr and mononucleosis, hypertension, high blood sugar, immune disorders, impotence, inflammation, leukaemia, lymphatic disease, pain, rheumatism, skin complaints, stress, tremors, tumours and ulcers. It is also used as a rejuvenator, tranquilliser, aphrodisiac, appetite stimulant and antioxidant ^{38Reference 38Taylor · 2005The Healing Power of Rainforest Herbs: A Guide to Understanding and Using Herbal Medicinals — reference text}.

Botany

Suma is a large, rambling, shrubby ground vine in the amaranth family (Amaranthaceae) ^{39Reference 39FernFern, K. (n.d.). Pfaffia paniculata — habit, root system, range, synonyms and wild harvest — plant database. Useful Tropical Plants Database. https://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Pfaffia+paniculataView study →}. It has an intricate, deep and extensive root system, and the root is the part used ^{39Reference 39FernFern, K. (n.d.). Pfaffia paniculata — habit, root system, range, synonyms and wild harvest — plant database. Useful Tropical Plants Database. https://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Pfaffia+paniculataView study →}.

The plant is now usually classified as Hebanthe erianthos, also written Hebanthe eriantha. Pfaffia paniculata and Hebanthe paniculata are older names for the same species ^{39,40Reference 39FernFern, K. (n.d.). Pfaffia paniculata — habit, root system, range, synonyms and wild harvest — plant database. Useful Tropical Plants Database. https://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Pfaffia+paniculataView study →Reference 40GBIF Secretariat (n.d.)Hebanthe erianthos (Poir.) Pedersen — accepted name, synonyms (including Pfaffia paniculata and Hebanthe eriantha) and native distribution, from the World Checklist of Vascular Plants — species databaseView study →}.

Distribution

Suma grows in South America, in Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay and north-eastern Argentina ^{40Reference 40GBIF Secretariat (n.d.)Hebanthe erianthos (Poir.) Pedersen — accepted name, synonyms (including Pfaffia paniculata and Hebanthe eriantha) and native distribution, from the World Checklist of Vascular Plants — species databaseView study →}. In Brazil it is recorded from the north and north-east through the west-centre to the south-east and south ^{40Reference 40GBIF Secretariat (n.d.)Hebanthe erianthos (Poir.) Pedersen — accepted name, synonyms (including Pfaffia paniculata and Hebanthe eriantha) and native distribution, from the World Checklist of Vascular Plants — species databaseView study →}.

Sourcing: the root is harvested from the wild and exported to many countries ^{39Reference 39FernFern, K. (n.d.). Pfaffia paniculata — habit, root system, range, synonyms and wild harvest — plant database. Useful Tropical Plants Database. https://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Pfaffia+paniculataView study →}. Digging the root takes the whole plant, and there is little commercial cultivation.

Several Pfaffia and Hebanthe species are sold under the name Brazilian ginseng ^{30Reference 30Rodrigues et al. · 2013Development of an analytical method for the quantification of pfaffic acid in Brazilian ginseng (Hebanthe eriantha) — analytical studyView study →}. It is worth buying from a supplier who names the species and can say where the root was collected.

Growing Conditions

Cultivation snapshot for Suma

LifeperennialZoneUSDA 10–12

• Strictly tropical: needs frost-free, humid, warm conditions year-round (roughly USDA zones 10–12) and will not survive a temperate winter outdoors.
• Give it full sun to light/part shade, as it grows in and at the edges of lowland forest.
• It is a vigorous rambling ground vine — allow room to sprawl or a support to scramble over.
• The prize is the large, deep root, so it wants loose, deep, well-drained soil and a long season to bulk up underground.

Grow it yourself

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Indications

• General debility, fatigue and convalescence [root; Peruvian and Brazilian folk use]
• Stress [root; Brazilian folk use] ⚠Caution: The animal anti-stress data come from the related species Pfaffia glomerata, not from suma ^26,32.
• Low libido and impotence [root; Peruvian and Brazilian folk use]
• Anaemia, including sickle-cell anaemia [root; Brazilian folk use] ⚠Caution: Suma extract improved the flexibility of sickled red cells in the test tube, but it has never been tested in patients. A Cochrane review found the trial evidence for any herbal medicine in sickle-cell disease insufficient ^13,14,15.
• Arthritis and rheumatism [root; Brazilian folk use]
• Asthma and allergies [root; Brazilian folk use]
• Skin and digestive ulcers [root; Peruvian folk use]
• Intestinal inflammation [root extract]
• High blood sugar [root; Brazilian folk use]
• Support alongside cancer treatment [root; Brazilian folk use]

Pharmacology & Research

Research on suma is almost entirely preclinical. The largest body of work is on anticancer activity, where one São Paulo group has reported tumour-inhibiting effects across several mouse models and cell lines ^{1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9Reference 1Matsuzaki et al. · 2003Effect of Pfaffia paniculata (Brazilian ginseng) on the Ehrlich tumor in its ascitic form — animal studyView study →Reference 2da Silva et al. · 2005AnimalInhibitory effects of Pfaffia paniculata on preneoplastic and neoplastic lesions in a mouse hepatocarcinogenesis model — animal studyView study →Reference 3Matsuzaki et al. · 2006Antineoplastic effects of butanolic residue of Pfaffia paniculata — animal studyView study →Reference 4Carneiro et al. · 2007AnimalPfaffia paniculata methanolic extract reduces angiogenesis in mice — animal studyView study →Reference 5da Silva et al. · 2010AnimalPfaffia paniculata roots decrease proliferation and increase apoptosis but do not affect cell communication in murine hepatocarcinogenesis — animal studyView study →Reference 6Nagamine et al. · 2009In vitroCytotoxic effects of butanolic extract from Pfaffia paniculata on the human breast cancer cell line MCF-7 — in vitro studyView study →Reference 7da Silva et al. · 2015In vitroPfaffosidic fraction from Hebanthe paniculata induces cell cycle arrest and caspase-3-induced apoptosis in HepG2 cells — in vitro studyView study →Reference 8Watanabe et al. · 2000AnimalEffects of oral administration of Pfaffia paniculata on incidence of spontaneous leukemia in AKR/J mice — animal studyView study →Reference 9Rahamouz-Haghighi et al. · 2024In vitroAntiproliferative assay of suma (Hebanthe eriantha) methanolic extract on HCT116 and 4T1 cancer cell lines, in vitro toxicity, and antibacterial activity — in vitro studyView study →}. Two rat studies found anti-inflammatory activity in colitis ^{10,11Reference 10Costa et al. · 2015Anti-inflammatory effects of Brazilian ginseng (Pfaffia paniculata) on TNBS-induced intestinal inflammation — animal studyView study →Reference 11Costa et al. · 2018Pfaffia paniculata extract modulates Mapk and mucin pathways in intestinal inflammation — animal studyView study →}, and two test-tube studies found that the extract improves the deformability of sickled red cells taken from patients ^{13,14Reference 13Ballas · 2000In vitroHydration of sickle erythrocytes using a herbal extract (Pfaffia paniculata) in vitro — in vitro studyView study →Reference 14Mozar et al. · 2015In vitroPfaffia paniculata extract improves red blood cell deformability in sickle cell patients — in vitro studyView study →}.

Much of the adaptogen, anti-stress and antioxidant data comes from the related species P. glomerata and P. townsendii, which are also sold as Brazilian ginseng ^{24,26,32Reference 24Lafont et al. · 2003ReviewPractical uses for ecdysteroids in mammals including humans: an update — reviewView study →Reference 26Franco et al. · 2021AnimalA 20-hydroxyecdysone-enriched fraction from Pfaffia glomerata roots alleviates stress, anxiety and depression in mice — animal studyView study →Reference 32Cotrim Ribeiro et al. · 2024ReviewA comprehensive review of Pfaffia glomerata botany, ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry, biological activities and biotechnology — reviewView study →}.

No clinical trial of the whole herb has been completed. The only human data come from a 28-day cosmetic study of a topical serum in which suma was one of three botanicals ^{33Reference 33Eberlin et al. · 2009Clinical trialEffects of a Brazilian herbal compound (Pfaffia paniculata/Ptychopetalum olacoides/Lilium candidum) as a cosmetic eyecare for periorbital hyperchromia (“dark circles”) — clinical trialView study →}.

1. Anticancer

Most of this work comes from one São Paulo group. Powdered root reduced ascitic-fluid accumulation and tumor-cell counts in Ehrlich-tumor mice at 200 mg/kg ^{1Reference 1Matsuzaki et al. · 2003Effect of Pfaffia paniculata (Brazilian ginseng) on the Ehrlich tumor in its ascitic form — animal studyView study →}, and in a two-stage mouse hepatocarcinogenesis model dietary root (0.5–10%) cut the number and size of preneoplastic liver lesions ^{2Reference 2da Silva et al. · 2005AnimalInhibitory effects of Pfaffia paniculata on preneoplastic and neoplastic lesions in a mouse hepatocarcinogenesis model — animal studyView study →}.

Follow-up work showed the herb reduces cell proliferation and raises apoptosis in that liver model, and separately reduces corneal angiogenesis (new-vessel growth) in mice at 250–1000 mg/kg ^{4,5Reference 4Carneiro et al. · 2007AnimalPfaffia paniculata methanolic extract reduces angiogenesis in mice — animal studyView study →Reference 5da Silva et al. · 2010AnimalPfaffia paniculata roots decrease proliferation and increase apoptosis but do not affect cell communication in murine hepatocarcinogenesis — animal studyView study →}.

The activity follows the saponins: the butanolic residue extends survival in tumor-bearing mice ^{3Reference 3Matsuzaki et al. · 2006Antineoplastic effects of butanolic residue of Pfaffia paniculata — animal studyView study →}, and in vitro the purified pfaffosidic fraction arrests the cell cycle and triggers caspase-3 apoptosis in HepG2 liver-cancer cells ^{7Reference 7da Silva et al. · 2015In vitroPfaffosidic fraction from Hebanthe paniculata induces cell cycle arrest and caspase-3-induced apoptosis in HepG2 cells — in vitro studyView study →}, while butanolic and methanolic extracts are cytotoxic to MCF-7 breast and HCT116 colon / 4T1 breast lines ^{6,9Reference 6Nagamine et al. · 2009In vitroCytotoxic effects of butanolic extract from Pfaffia paniculata on the human breast cancer cell line MCF-7 — in vitro studyView study →Reference 9Rahamouz-Haghighi et al. · 2024In vitroAntiproliferative assay of suma (Hebanthe eriantha) methanolic extract on HCT116 and 4T1 cancer cell lines, in vitro toxicity, and antibacterial activity — in vitro studyView study →}.

Oral root also suppressed spontaneous thymic lymphoma in AKR/J mice, an effect the authors attributed to non-specific immune enhancement rather than direct cytotoxicity ^{8Reference 8Watanabe et al. · 2000AnimalEffects of oral administration of Pfaffia paniculata on incidence of spontaneous leukemia in AKR/J mice — animal studyView study →}.

Gap: every result is in a cell line or mouse; there is no human oncology data, and the isolated-saponin doses that work in vitro correspond to impractically large amounts of raw root.

2. Anti-Inflammatory

In rats with TNBS-induced colitis (a model of inflammatory bowel disease), a P. paniculata extract at 200 mg/kg reduced macroscopic damage and lesion extent, lowered myeloperoxidase (a neutrophil marker), and preserved glutathione ^{10Reference 10Costa et al. · 2015Anti-inflammatory effects of Brazilian ginseng (Pfaffia paniculata) on TNBS-induced intestinal inflammation — animal studyView study →}.

A follow-up study found that 200 mg/kg suppressed colonic MPO and modulated MAPK and mucin (Muc) gene expression in the gut mucosa ^{11Reference 11Costa et al. · 2018Pfaffia paniculata extract modulates Mapk and mucin pathways in intestinal inflammation — animal studyView study →}.

An earlier study found that the methanolic extract raises macrophage spreading and activity ^{12Reference 12Pinello et al. · 2006Effects of Pfaffia paniculata extract on macrophage activity — animal studyView study →}. Anti-inflammatory activity has also been reported for the related species P. glomerata and P. townsendii ^{25Reference 25Corrêa et al. · 2018In vitroAnti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of the extract, tiliroside and patuletin 3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside from Pfaffia townsendii — animal/in vitro studyView study →}.

All of it is rat work from a single lab, reported per rodent body-weight, so it converts to no human dose.

3. Sickle-Cell Rheology

Working with red cells in the test tube, Ballas showed the extract acts as a sodium ionophore on sickle erythrocytes, raising their sodium and volume and improving hydration and deformability ^{13Reference 13Ballas · 2000In vitroHydration of sickle erythrocytes using a herbal extract (Pfaffia paniculata) in vitro — in vitro studyView study →}.

Fifteen years later a second group confirmed the core finding on blood drawn from sickle-cell patients: extract at 0.5 mg/mL improved red-cell deformability at high shear stress (the condition found in capillaries), though it did not reduce cell fragility ^{14Reference 14Mozar et al. · 2015In vitroPfaffia paniculata extract improves red blood cell deformability in sickle cell patients — in vitro studyView study →}.

Both are in vitro. The 2020 Cochrane review of phytomedicines for sickle-cell disease catalogued suma among candidate plants but concluded the controlled-trial evidence for any phytomedicine remains insufficient to judge benefit or harm ^{15Reference 15Oniyangi et al. · 2020Meta-analysisPhytomedicines for sickle cell disease — systematic review and meta-analysisView study →}.

Gap: the effect has never been tested in a living patient — no oral bioavailability, dosing, or clinical-endpoint data — and the historical “1000 mg three times daily” figure comes from a patent, not a peer-reviewed trial.

4. Antimicrobial

All of this work is in vitro, mostly from dental and endodontic groups. P. paniculata extracts reduced mixed-species biofilms of Candida albicans with Streptococcus mutans, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis or Pseudomonas aeruginosa ^{17Reference 17Domingues et al. · 2023In vitroAntimicrobial action of four herbal plants over mixed-species biofilms of Candida albicans — in vitro studyView study →}, cut Klebsiella pneumoniae planktonic growth and biofilm ^{18Reference 18Paula-Ramos et al. · 2016In vitroKlebsiella pneumoniae planktonic and biofilm reduction by different plant extracts — in vitro studyView study →}, and inhibited Candida, P. aeruginosa and S. mutans biofilms with defined MICs while remaining tolerable to gingival fibroblasts ^{16Reference 16Miranda et al. · 2024In vitroPfaffia paniculata extract, a potential antimicrobial agent against Candida spp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Streptococcus mutans biofilms — in vitro studyView study →}.

More recent work reports activity against the periodontal/Alzheimer-linked pathogens Porphyromonas gingivalis and P. endodontalis ^{19Reference 19Miranda et al. · 2025In vitroJuglans regia and Pfaffia paniculata extracts: implications for periodontal disease treatment and correlation with Alzheimer’s risk — in vitro studyView study →} and against the colorectal-cancer-associated oral anaerobes Fusobacterium nucleatum and Parvimonas micra ^{20Reference 20Miranda et al. · 2025In vitroAntioxidant, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects of Juglans regia and Pfaffia paniculata extracts for colorectal cancer risk associated with oral pathogens — in vitro studyView study →}.

Methanolic root extract also inhibited S. aureus and Proteus vulgaris in a whole-herb cytotoxicity screen ^{9Reference 9Rahamouz-Haghighi et al. · 2024In vitroAntiproliferative assay of suma (Hebanthe eriantha) methanolic extract on HCT116 and 4T1 cancer cell lines, in vitro toxicity, and antibacterial activity — in vitro studyView study →}.

Gap: all data are in vitro, frequently using glycolic or high-concentration dental-irrigant preparations that don’t map onto oral dosing; no in vivo infection model or clinical use is established.

5. Aphrodisiac & Hormonal

Fluid extract improved copulatory performance in sexually sluggish/impotent male rats without affecting already-potent animals or locomotion ^{22Reference 22Arletti et al. · 1999AnimalStimulating property of Turnera diffusa and Pfaffia paniculata extracts on the sexual behavior of male rats — animal studyView study →}.

Feeding powdered root to mice for 30 days raised plasma estradiol and progesterone in females and testosterone in males, with no adverse effects over the period ^{21Reference 21Oshima et al. · 2003AnimalPfaffia paniculata-induced changes in plasma estradiol-17β, progesterone and testosterone levels in mice — animal studyView study →}.

A review of virility plants places suma in this group and ties the effect to its phytosteroids ^{23Reference 23Chauhan et al. · 2014ReviewA review on plants used for improvement of sexual performance and virility — reviewView study →}.

The proposed driver is the phytoecdysteroids (chiefly 20-hydroxyecdysone/β-ecdysterone), which behave like weak anabolic/hormone-modulating agents but are not thought to bind mammalian steroid receptors directly and are rapidly metabolized ^{24Reference 24Lafont et al. · 2003ReviewPractical uses for ecdysteroids in mammals including humans: an update — reviewView study →}.

The mechanism is unresolved, and ecdysteroid pharmacokinetics in humans are barely characterised.

6. Antioxidant

Most of the quantified radical-scavenging data comes from the sibling species: P. townsendii ethanolic extract and its flavonoids tiliroside and patuletin glucoside showed DPPH/ORAC activity and reduced paw edema ^{25Reference 25Corrêa et al. · 2018In vitroAnti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of the extract, tiliroside and patuletin 3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside from Pfaffia townsendii — animal/in vitro studyView study →}, and P. glomerata extracts show anticholinesterase and antioxidant activity ^{26Reference 26Franco et al. · 2021AnimalA 20-hydroxyecdysone-enriched fraction from Pfaffia glomerata roots alleviates stress, anxiety and depression in mice — animal studyView study →}.

For P. paniculata itself, antioxidant capacity is reported mainly as a supporting readout inside the colitis and antimicrobial studies (e.g. preserved glutathione) rather than as a primary result ^{10Reference 10Costa et al. · 2015Anti-inflammatory effects of Brazilian ginseng (Pfaffia paniculata) on TNBS-induced intestinal inflammation — animal studyView study →}.

Gap: the cleanest antioxidant data are on other Pfaffia species; for this herb the effect is inferred from its phenolic/ecdysteroid content and from secondary endpoints, not measured as a standalone outcome.

7. Adaptogen / Anti-Stress

An ethnopharmacological survey of Brazilian herbals classed suma among the country’s tonic plants and proposed adaptogen status largely on traditional-use grounds ^{27Reference 27Mendes et al. · 2007ReviewBrazilian plants as possible adaptogens: an ethnopharmacological survey of books edited in Brazil — reviewView study →}.

The behavioral data belong to P. glomerata: a 20-hydroxyecdysone-enriched fraction reduced stress, anxiety and depression-like behavior in mice and boosted brain antioxidant enzymes at 30 mg/kg ^{26Reference 26Franco et al. · 2021AnimalA 20-hydroxyecdysone-enriched fraction from Pfaffia glomerata roots alleviates stress, anxiety and depression in mice — animal studyView study →}.

Both plants are sold as “Brazilian ginseng” and share the ecdysteroid chemistry, but the finding was not obtained with this species ^{32Reference 32Cotrim Ribeiro et al. · 2024ReviewA comprehensive review of Pfaffia glomerata botany, ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry, biological activities and biotechnology — reviewView study →}.

Gap: no controlled stress/fatigue study used P. paniculata itself; the adaptogen label rests on tradition, ecdysteroid content, and read-across from P. glomerata.

8. Antidiabetic

Suma appears on lists of Brazilian “hypoglycemiant” plants, and one analytical study characterized its trace-element profile alongside other antidiabetic herbs — but measured elements, not glucose-lowering activity ^{28Reference 28Zucchi et al. · 2005In vitroCharacterization of hypoglycemiant plants by total reflection X-ray fluorescence spectrometry — in vitro/analytical studyView study →}.

Any blood-sugar rationale is constituent-level: the phytosterols and ecdysteroids have antidiabetic effects in other contexts, and pfaffic-acid/saponin chemistry is shared with hypoglycemic plants. No efficacy study — animal or human — tests suma against a diabetes endpoint.

Gap: there is no direct evidence the herb lowers blood glucose; the claim is inherited from traditional lists and inferred from its sterol content.

Mechanisms

The pfaffosides and pfaffic acid have been studied for cell-cycle arrest, apoptosis, anti-angiogenesis and macrophage activation in tumour models, and the saponin fraction for its effects on inflammatory signalling in colitis. The phytoecdysteroids have been studied for weak hormone-modulating effects that do not involve direct binding to steroid receptors.

The sickle-cell finding is a physical effect: the extract acts as a sodium ionophore on red cells and increases their hydration. The antioxidant data come mostly from related Pfaffia species.

Clinical Trials

No completed clinical trial of suma as a single herb has been published or registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (0 records for Pfaffia paniculata, Hebanthe eriantha or “Brazilian ginseng”). The only human data is a 28-day cosmetic study of a topical eye serum in which suma was one of three botanicals ^{33Reference 33Eberlin et al. · 2009Clinical trialEffects of a Brazilian herbal compound (Pfaffia paniculata/Ptychopetalum olacoides/Lilium candidum) as a cosmetic eyecare for periorbital hyperchromia (“dark circles”) — clinical trialView study →}.

Last checked: July 2026.

Phytochemistry

Suma root is up to about 11% saponins ^{23,38Reference 23Chauhan et al. · 2014ReviewA review on plants used for improvement of sexual performance and virility — reviewView study →Reference 38Taylor · 2005The Healing Power of Rainforest Herbs: A Guide to Understanding and Using Herbal Medicinals — reference text}. The main group is the pfaffosides (A–F), nortriterpenoid saponins built around pfaffic acid ^{38Reference 38Taylor · 2005The Healing Power of Rainforest Herbs: A Guide to Understanding and Using Herbal Medicinals — reference text}. Pfaffic acid is present mostly bound to sugars as pfaffosides, and it ranged from 0.97% to 4.29% of dry root across 30 genotypes in one analysis ^{30Reference 30Rodrigues et al. · 2013Development of an analytical method for the quantification of pfaffic acid in Brazilian ginseng (Hebanthe eriantha) — analytical studyView study →}. It is used as the marker that tells this species apart from others sold as Brazilian ginseng ^{30Reference 30Rodrigues et al. · 2013Development of an analytical method for the quantification of pfaffic acid in Brazilian ginseng (Hebanthe eriantha) — analytical studyView study →}.

The root also contains the phytoecdysteroid β-ecdysterone (20-hydroxyecdysone, about 0.63% of the root) and its ecdysteroid glycosides ^{24,38Reference 24Lafont et al. · 2003ReviewPractical uses for ecdysteroids in mammals including humans: an update — reviewView study →Reference 38Taylor · 2005The Healing Power of Rainforest Herbs: A Guide to Understanding and Using Herbal Medicinals — reference text}. Common phytosterols, β-sitosterol, stigmasterol and their glucosides, occur alongside allantoin ^{21,23Reference 21Oshima et al. · 2003AnimalPfaffia paniculata-induced changes in plasma estradiol-17β, progesterone and testosterone levels in mice — animal studyView study →Reference 23Chauhan et al. · 2014ReviewA review on plants used for improvement of sexual performance and virility — reviewView study →}.

A triterpenoid-isolation study of the root characterised the ecdysteroids ecdysone, pterosterone and rapisterone, the nortriterpenoids pfaffine A and B, and the triterpenoids pfameric acid, mesembryanthemoidigenic acid, calenduloside E 6’-methyl ester and oleanolic acid 28-O-β-D-glucopyranoside ^{29Reference 29Li et al. · 2010In vitroTriterpenoids from Brazilian ginseng, Pfaffia paniculata — in vitro/phytochemical studyView study →}. The acylated flavonol glycoside tiliroside, a kaempferol glucoside esterified with p-coumaric acid, also occurs.

Taylor reports that the root supplies 19 amino acids, electrolytes, trace minerals including iron, magnesium, zinc and germanium, vitamins A, B1, B2, E and K, and pantothenic acid ^{38Reference 38Taylor · 2005The Healing Power of Rainforest Herbs: A Guide to Understanding and Using Herbal Medicinals — reference text}. Daucosterol, polypodine B, nortriterpenoids and silica are also listed ^{38Reference 38Taylor · 2005The Healing Power of Rainforest Herbs: A Guide to Understanding and Using Herbal Medicinals — reference text}.

Constituent Summary

Amounts are a share of the dried root ^{23,24,29,38Reference 23Chauhan et al. · 2014ReviewA review on plants used for improvement of sexual performance and virility — reviewView study →Reference 24Lafont et al. · 2003ReviewPractical uses for ecdysteroids in mammals including humans: an update — reviewView study →Reference 29Li et al. · 2010In vitroTriterpenoids from Brazilian ginseng, Pfaffia paniculata — in vitro/phytochemical studyView study →Reference 38Taylor · 2005The Healing Power of Rainforest Herbs: A Guide to Understanding and Using Herbal Medicinals — reference text}.

Dosage

The studies gave powdered root or extracts dosed by animal body weight, and the table lists those experimental amounts.

The dried-herb equivalents scale mouse and rat doses to a 70 kg adult (÷~12 for mouse mg/kg). They are an order-of-magnitude guide, not a recommendation.

Traditional Dosage

Safety & Pregnancy

Suma has low oral toxicity in animal studies. Its cautions are the dust of the raw root, stomach upset at large doses, and its hormone-modulating activity.

Full Safety & Interactions Detail

Toxicity. Repeat-dose gavage of powdered root or methanolic extract up to 1000 mg/kg produced no weight loss, liver or kidney changes, or serum-enzyme changes in mice ^{4,12Reference 4Carneiro et al. · 2007AnimalPfaffia paniculata methanolic extract reduces angiogenesis in mice — animal studyView study →Reference 12Pinello et al. · 2006Effects of Pfaffia paniculata extract on macrophage activity — animal studyView study →}, and 30 days of oral intake caused no adverse effects ^{21Reference 21Oshima et al. · 2003AnimalPfaffia paniculata-induced changes in plasma estradiol-17β, progesterone and testosterone levels in mice — animal studyView study →}.

Root dust. A worker exposed to the root powder while making suma capsules developed asthma, with IgE sensitisation confirmed by skin and bronchial challenge tests ^{31Reference 31Subiza et al. · 1991Case reportOccupational asthma caused by Brazil ginseng dust — case reportView study →}. People handling the raw powder, or with plant-dust allergies, should take care.

Saponins. The root is rich in saponins, reported up to about 11%, and large oral doses can upset the stomach.

Ecdysteroids. The isolated ecdysteroid β-ecdysone was genotoxic in rodent bone-marrow micronucleus and Allium cepa assays at concentrations equivalent to human therapeutic doses ^{35Reference 35Neves et al. · 2016In vitroThe phytoecdysteroid β-ecdysone is genotoxic in rodent bone marrow micronuclei and Allium cepa L. assays — in vivo/in vitro studyView study →}. This concerns the isolated compound, not the whole root.

Interactions. No drug-interaction or long-term safety study of suma exists. Unlike Asian, Indian and Siberian ginsengs, Brazilian ginseng did not interfere with serum digoxin immunoassays ^{34Reference 34Dasgupta et al. · 2005Effect of Brazilian, Indian, Siberian, Asian and North American ginseng on serum digoxin measurement by immunoassays — comparative studyView study →}.

Synergy

Suma is paired with Asian ginseng, which has a similar tonic use, and with other immune-modulating herbs such as cat’s claw, reishi and chaga.

References

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2. da Silva, T. C., et al. (2005). Inhibitory effects of Pfaffia paniculata on preneoplastic and neoplastic lesions in a mouse hepatocarcinogenesis model — animal study. Cancer Letters. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16039950/
3. Matsuzaki, P., et al. (2006). Antineoplastic effects of butanolic residue of Pfaffia paniculata — animal study. Cancer Letters. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16051424/
4. Carneiro, C. S., et al. (2007). Pfaffia paniculata methanolic extract reduces angiogenesis in mice — animal study. Experimental and Toxicologic Pathology. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17481871/
5. da Silva, T. C., et al. (2010). Pfaffia paniculata roots decrease proliferation and increase apoptosis but do not affect cell communication in murine hepatocarcinogenesis — animal study. Experimental and Toxicologic Pathology. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19427770/
6. Nagamine, M. K., et al. (2009). Cytotoxic effects of butanolic extract from Pfaffia paniculata on the human breast cancer cell line MCF-7 — in vitro study. Experimental and Toxicologic Pathology. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18485683/
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9. Rahamouz-Haghighi, S., & Sharafi, A. (2024). Antiproliferative assay of suma (Hebanthe eriantha) methanolic extract on HCT116 and 4T1 cancer cell lines, in vitro toxicity, and antibacterial activity — in vitro study. Natural Product Research. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37337697/
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