Annatto
- Scientific Name
- Bixa orellana
- Family
- Bixaceae
- Other Common Names
-
Acafrao, Acafroa, Acafroeira de Terra, Achiote, Achioti, Achiotillo, Achote, Achote of the Mountain, Analto, Anatto, Annato, Annatto Orellana, Annotta, Arbre Rouge à Lèvre, Arnotta, Atole, Axiote, Bicha, Bico de Calango, Bija, Bijo, Bijol, Bixa, Black Grain, Caituco, Cascaverde, Cascavermelha, Chacangaricua, Graopreto, Green Peel, Guajachote, Koessewee, Latkan, Lipstick Tree, Lizard Beak, Onotillo, Onoto, Onotto, Orlean, Pimentao Doce, Pumacua, Red Bark, Rocou, Rocouyer, Roucou, Santo-Domingo, Urucu, Urucum
Overview
Annatto is a small tree or shrub native to the Amazon region of South America. It grows in various South American countries, including Peru, Mexico, and Ecuador, and is also cultivated in Indonesia, India, and East Africa (95143). Annatto is cultivated for its seeds, which are used as a natural color in many foods and cosmetics (95143).
History
Bixa orellana was named after Francisco Orellana, the first European to navigate the Amazon. The Brazilian popular name, urucum, comes from the Tupi word for red (95143). The name achiote is derived from achiotl, the Nahuatl word for shiny seed (95157).
Annatto has a long history of use as a dying agent for textiles, ceramics, and skin in the Amazonian region of South America (95143). In the 17thth centuries, annatto became a traditional medicine in parts of Asia and Africa (95144).
People Use This For
Orally, the seeds, leaves, and roots of annatto are used to treat diabetes, diarrhea, constipation, nausea, fevers, heartburn, malaria, hepatitis, hypercholesterolemia, and hypertension. Annatto is also used as an expectorant, aphrodisiac, and diuretic. It is also used for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and other prostate or urinary issues.
Topically, annatto is used for burns, bruises, wound healing, vaginitis, as an insect repellent, and for inflamed eyes and rashes.
In foods, annatto is used as a coloring agent.
Likely Safe when annatto seed extract is used orally in amounts commonly found in foods. Annatto has Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) status for use as a color in foods in the US, with an acceptable daily intake of 2.5 mg/kg (4912, 109549).
Possibly Safe when annatto leaf powder is used orally and appropriately. Annatto leaf powder 750 mg daily has been used with apparent safety in clinical trials for up to 1 year (31612).
There is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of annatto seed extract when used orally in medicinal amounts or annatto plant parts when used topically.
PREGNANCY AND LACTATION: There is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of annatto during pregnancy and breast-feeding.
Gastrointestinal
Orally, annatto leaf powder has been reported to cause constipation (31612). Annatto food coloring has been associated with an increase in symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in one case report. A woman with frequent symptoms of diarrhea, bloating, and abdominal pain experienced an improvement in all symptoms upon elimination of annatto-containing products; symptoms returned after these products were added back into her diet (95142).
Immunologic
When used as a food coloring, annatto causes rare cases of allergic reactions in children and adults. Reactions have occurred after consumption of cereal, cheese, ice cream, and other foods containing annatto food coloring, and use of cosmetics containing annatto. Symptoms include urticaria, angioedema, severe hypotension, and anaphylaxis (31619,31621,95157.109549). One patient with a history of urticaria after using cosmetics, or ingesting food containing annatto, was given oral doses of annatto gradually increasing from 1 mg to 100 mg at hourly intervals. Severe urticaria requiring treatment with antihistamines and corticosteroids occurred with doses of 50-100 mg, while milder reactions started at around 20 mg (109549). Reactions to annatto food coloring are possibly due to traces of seed protein (95157).
Preliminary clinical research in adult male athletes shows that taking a specific supplement containing annatto powder 143 mg and ginger powder 190 mg (ReWin(d), Natural Origins), 6 capsules daily, increases muscle power during repeat eccentric exercise when compared with placebo. The supplement was taken for 4 weeks prior to, and 3 days after, the eccentric exercise (105505). Another small clinical trial in male recreational runners aged 40-60 years with chronic knee discomfort shows that taking a product containing annatto seed, devil's claw root, and ginger rhizome in a ratio of 0.375:1:0.75 (Exten(d), Natural Origins), 2 grams orally daily in 3 divided doses for 4 weeks, reduces leg fat mass when compared with placebo (109548). It is unclear if knee discomfort is improved, or whether the effects are due to annatto, other ingredients, or the combination.
Preliminary clinical research in adults with BPH and moderate lower urinary tract symptoms shows that taking powdered annatto leaf 250 mg three times daily for 12 months does not improve symptoms when compared with placebo (31612).
Preliminary clinical research in adult male athletes shows that taking a specific supplement containing annatto powder 143 mg and ginger powder 190 mg (ReWin(d), Natural Origins), 6 capsules daily, reduces muscle soreness after eccentric exercise when compared with placebo. However, blood creatine kinase levels were not different between groups. The supplement was taken for 4 weeks prior to, and 3 days after, the eccentric exercise (105505).
Preliminary clinical research in adults with halitosis shows that applying annatto extract 20% to the tongue as a photosensitizer for antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) immediately reduces volatile sulfur levels in the mouth when compared with baseline. However, after 7 days, volatile sulfur levels were similar to baseline levels. The changes in volatile sulfur levels were similar to those treated with tongue scraping or tongue scraping followed by aPDT. However, the study may have been inadequately powered to detect a difference between groups (105504).
More evidence is needed to rate annatto for these uses.
Adult
Oral:
Athletic performance: A specific product containing annatto powder 143 mg and ginger powder 190 mg (ReWin(d), Natural Origins), 6 capsules daily, has been used for 31 days (105505).
Exercise-induced muscle soreness: A specific product containing annatto powder 143 mg and ginger powder 190 mg (ReWin(d), Natural Origins), 6 capsules daily, has been used for 31 days (105505).
Halitosis: Annatto extract 20% has been applied to the tongue followed by irradiation with blue-violet light emitting diodes (LED) for 2 minutes (105504).
Standardization & Formulation
There is insufficient reliable information available about the standardization of annatto.
ANTIDIABETES DRUGS
- Interaction Rating
- Moderate Be cautious with this combination.
- Severity
- MODERATE
- Occurrence
- POSSIBLE
- Level of Evidence
- D (Theoretical based on pharmacology)
Animal studies suggest that certain annatto extracts may have hypoglycemic or hyperglycemic effects (19, 31588, 31605, 31610, 31616). Theoretically, taking annatto with antidiabetes drugs could reduce the therapeutic effects of these drugs or increase the risk for additive hypoglycemia. Monitor blood glucose levels closely.
CYTOCHROME P450 1A1 (CYP1A1) SUBSTRATES
- Interaction Rating
- Moderate Be cautious with this combination.
- Severity
- MODERATE
- Occurrence
- POSSIBLE
- Level of Evidence
- D (Theoretical based on pharmacology)
Animal research suggests that annatto induces cytochrome P450 1A1 (CYP1A1) (31591). Theoretically, annatto might increase the metabolism of CYP1A1 substrates.
HERBS AND SUPPLEMENTS WITH HYPOGLYCEMIC POTENTIAL
Animal evidence suggest that specific annatto extracts might lower or raise blood glucose (19, 31588, 31605, 31610, 31616). Theoretically, concomitant use with herbs and supplements that decrease blood glucose levels might increase the risk of hypoglycemia or reduce their therapeutic effects on blood glucose. Some of these products include bitter melon, ginger, goat's rue, fenugreek, kudzu, willow bark, and others.
DIABETES
Annatto might increase or decrease blood glucose levels (19, 31588, 31605, 31610, 31616). Use cautiously in patients with diabetes, as using annatto in medicinal amounts may affect blood glucose control and increase the risk for hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia. Monitor blood glucose levels closely.
PERIOPERATIVE
Annatto might affect blood glucose levels (19, 31588, 31605, 31610, 31616). Theoretically, using annatto in medicinal amounts might interfere with blood glucose control during and after surgical procedures. Tell patients to discontinue annatto at least 2 weeks before elective surgical procedures.
None known.
There is insufficient reliable information available about the presentation and treatment of overdose with annatto.
General
The applicable part of annatto is the seed, leaf, and root. The pericarp of the seed is used commercially in dyes and food coloring. Apocarotenoids, including bixin and norbixin, are the primary coloring agents in annatto seed. These constituents are found at levels of 1% to 5% in the seed aril. When used for food color, the level of bixin depends on the type of extraction process used. Annatto seed also contains other carotenoids such as beta-carotene, cryptoxanthin, phytoene, lutein, and norbixin in lower levels. The terpene alcohol geranylgeraniol is found at levels of up to 1% in the seed (95143, 109548).
The chemical constituents of the leaf are not well documented. Bixin and norbixin are found at much lower levels in the leaves than in the seed; alkaloids are found at higher levels. Other constituents include tocopherols, sesquiterpenes, and monoterpenes (95143, 95153).
Anti-inflammatory effects
In human research, the annatto constituent norbixin has anti-inflammatory effects, reducing levels of inflammatory cytokines (101081). Other research suggests that bixin also decreases levels of inflammatory cytokines and decreases oxidative stress in healthy subjects (109548).
Antidiabetic effects
Animal research suggests that annatto has hypoglycemic effects, related to stimulation of the peripheral utilization of glucose (31616). However, in humans, intake of annatto carotenoids does not alter postprandial glucose or insulin levels (101081).
Antidiarrheal effects
In an animal model of diarrhea, annatto leaf extract reduced the number of wet stools (31608).
Antimicrobial effects
Although some research has shown that annatto leaf extract has antimicrobial effects against various bacteria and fungi, these effects do not appear to be consistent (31593, 31607, 31608, 95143). Differences in extraction methods, plant growth conditions, and plant-specific levels of chemicals might result in different levels of active constituents.
There is also interest in using annatto as a photosensitizer for antimicrobial photodynamic therapy for halitosis. Theoretically, when exposed to oxygen and a particular blue light, annatto creates reactive oxygen species and other oxidizing agents that can cause cell death in some microorganisms (105504).
Antioxidant effects
Antioxidant effects have been attributed to various annatto leaf and seed constituents, including bixin (95144, 109548). These effects might protect against diabetic and inflammatory complications or promote anti-cancer mechanisms (95144). However, in human research, norbixin decreased levels of postprandial oxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and other oxidative markers, while bixin had no or minimal antioxidant effects (101081).
Antivenom effects
Annatto leaves are traditionally used for snake bites. In animal research, annatto leaf and branch extract had strong antivenom activity against snake venom (30971, 31599).
Insecticidal effects
The essential and fixed oils of annatto seed extract are thought to be responsible for the insect repellant effects of annatto (95143).
Classes
Cytochrome P450 1A1 (CYP1A1) Inducers, Hypoglycemic Agents, Sedative-Hypnotic AgentsReferences
See Monograph ReferencesLiterature Review Current Through: 5/16/2025, Last Updated: 12/12/2025
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