A tree reaching 10 to 20 meters in height and 30 to 50 cm in width. The bark is gray. The branches form a large spreading rounded shape, and exude a wine-red latex. The leaves are wide and oval shaped, alternately arranged, with membranous glandular bases, being approximately 12 to 20cm long and 5 to 14 cm wide. The inflorescence consists of white unisexual flowers in hanging racemes. The fruits are globe-shaped tripartite dehiscent capsules (3 bivalve monocarps).

traditional medicine:
healing of wounds, anti-bacterial, anti-viral, antiseptic (vaginal), anti-haemorrhagic, haemostatic, anti-inflammatory, citotoxic, anti-tumour, for fractures, stomach ulcers, wounds, cuts, rheumatic swelling, tooth extraction, haemorrhoids, pharyngitis and tonsillitis, diarrhoea.

Alkaloids: taspina (scar forming action)
Proantocianidinas (oligomeric SP-303)
Prociadinina B-1 and B-4
Lignanes dihydrobenzofuranes: 3,4-0-dimethylcedrusine, 4-0-methylcedrusine
Catequine: catequine, epicatequine, galocatequin, epigalocatequin
Phenols, Steroids: sitosterol, sitosterol-D-glucopiranoside, -sitostenone
Tannins
Other phenol compounds: Gallic acid
The members of this family contain anti-tumour agents and alkaloids such as piridone, indol aprofine, quinolein, tropane, unsaturated fatty acids, antraquinones, fatty epoxacids and triterpenoids
30 alkaloids such as solitaridine, sinoacutine and sparciflorine have also been isolated from the croton genus

Various factors provide the healing characteristics of Sangre de Grado.
The alkaloid taspine has healing and anti-inflammatory properties and has a cytotoxic effect on tumour cells. This healing effect is assisted by the proantocyanidines (anti-oxidant effect) and the dihydrobenzofurane 3, 4-0-dimethycedrusine. The anti-microbe effect of the polyphenols reinforces the general healing effect of the resin.
The proantocyanidine (oligomere of the proantocyanine SP-303) is also an inhibitor of the influenza A virus, the herpes virus (HSV) of types 1 and 2 and the viruses of hepatitis A and B. The antiviral activity also acts against the respiratory sinusitus virus (RSV), the Sindbis virus and citamagalovirus , and its anti-microbe effect has been proved in the case of Staphylococcus aureus among others. Recent studies indicate that it can reduce oxidation damage of DNA and trap peroxile radicals in a watery medium.
Many studies have been made on this plant, which have led to the generation of patented commercial products. Such studies are therefore not in public knowledge. However, it should be emphasized that scientific studies have once again confirmed that the effect of the latex with all its components is more effective than the use of isolated components only (Pieters and colleagues, 1995 among others).

Research proved a DL 5 oral in mice of the resin
INFORMATION of 24ml/kg.
Persinos’ study (1974) showed that taspine was not toxic in concentrations of up to 200mg/kg.
Vaisberg’s study (1989) showed that taspine is not toxic for human epidermal fibroblasts and has no effect on cell proliferation at concentrations below 150mg/ml. It was shown in mice that neither Sangre de Grado nor isolated taspine have carcinogenic effects, nor do they stimulate tumour forming activity even after continuous use for 17 months.