Theobroma cacao L. (chocolate) - ancient plant medicine

16th Oct 2022

Mexicolore contributor Jessica Anaya Pérez

It’s now widely accepted that chocolate - the real thing - is good for us, but in what ways exactly? We’re very grateful to Jessica Anaya Pérez for this enlightening article, written specially for us, on precisely the scientific evidence for cacao’s medicinal benefits. Jessica is a Mexican graduate who has been exploring new lands and learning new skills that support her connection with nature. She has a B.Sc. in Herbal Medicine. She is also a beekeeper and a London National City Park ranger. She believes that nature holds the key to happiness.

During my teenage life, I was fascinated by the simple homemade hot chocolate from my grandmother. It was a late afternoon ritual that my grandma and I shared while she used to read me some of her favourite books about herbal medicine. As I grow up I got interested in learning more about Theobroma cacao L., known as cacao, and how important it is for the traditional Mesoamerican medicinal system and cosmology.
One of the pre-Hispanic myths that inspired my research is that cacao was considered to be a god and extension of the divine which hosted spiritual power and presence. This was known as teotl by indigenous people. This entity was associated with the human heart and believed to be related to vitality, knowledge, and emotions.

It is documented that chronologically cacao was first used by the Olmecs, a tribe that inhabited the regions of the Gulf Coast of Mexico in 1500-400 BCE. Traditionally, cacao was fermented, roasted, and grounded into a paste, consumed as a hot or cold drink, in combination with other medicinal herbs, flowers, and spices. The medicinal benefits of cacao have been recorded in many old pre-Hispanic manuscripts.
Nowadays, modern phytochemistry research has found that cacao has shown stimulating effects on the human brain. What this means is that certain chemical compounds within cacao beans after ingestion cross the blood-brain barrier (pic 3) causing electrical nerve impulses that promote brain activity. This explains why indeed one of the first primary botanical pre-Hispanic manuscripts called Libellus de Medicinalibus Indorum Herbis oddly mentions the use of cacao as a bitter agent for “stupidity of the mind” or an “unbalanced mind” which needed to be drunk before meals.

Scientific research points to two types of chemical compounds responsible for this action. These are called Methylxanthines which are alkaloid compounds that can change mood, awareness, behaviour, and feelings. The first one is called Theobromine, which has been shown to bind to specific sites in neurons called adenosine receptors; this action promotes a state of awareness. As well it has shown to work through the modulation of the GABA neurotransmitter receptors (pic 4) in the brain which promote mood changes improving physical and mental functions. Caffeine is also found in cacao and works through the adenosine receptors in the brain. It increases cognitive functions and motor activity, enhancing alertness and mental energy. Importantly, pivotal new researches suggest that the methylxanthines in cacao may help to prevent neurodegenerative conditions by protecting glial cells in the brain and preventing cell dysfunction and premature neuronal death.

Cacao has also gained recognition as a plant medicine to support the cardiovascular system. It contains a chemical compound called Theophylline, which is another methylxanthine alkaloid that has shown to have cardiac stimulant activity. Research suggests that after consumption, this alkaloid quickly enters the myocardial tissue and positively supports the strength of the heartbeat while at the same time having a modulatory effect on the heart rate. Cacao is also high in flavonoids, a subclass of polyphenols constituents.
Cacao flavonoids have been shown to have a positive effect on cardio-metabolic diseases, by decreasing inflammation and free radicals caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS) in multiple tissues. It is shown that cacao has anti-platelet aggregation properties. What this means is that during artery damage, flavonoids prevent the platelets sticking together and clogging the artery which can compromise blood flow and artery function. This is an important factor in preventing conditions like Atherosclerosis. Moreover research suggests that cacao flavonoids can increase endothelium blood vessels’ relaxation, helping to improve vascular function by normalizing or lowering the blood flow and improving hypertensive conditions.

Polyphenols found in cacao are now being explored for their ability to positively influence gut microbial diversity in humans. It has been shown that cacao increases Bifidobacteria and {Lactobacilli species which helps to stabilize the Gram-positive bacteria community in the gut and restore permeability known as leaky gut. Even though cacao’s polyphenols have shown promising benefits, some research reported through clinical trials that some people experience digestive issues like constipation and acid reflux when consuming cacao. It is suggested that this may be caused by pre-existing compromised gut health which prevents the appropriate metabolism of cacao’s constituents.

Modern research has proven the therapeutic benefits of cacao for supporting chest conditions and improving lung function. This is associated with the Methylxanthines alkaloids (theophylline and caffeine) that have been shown to have a positive effect on conditions like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Its mechanism of action involves promoting bronchial smooth muscle relaxation (bronchodilatory effect) helping to open the narrowed and inflamed airways in patients suffering from asthma and COPD. In addition, theobromine has been shown to be effective for treating symptoms like coughs by having a potential antitussive effect, helping to suppress the overstimulation of the afferent nerves down to the respiratory tract.

Theobroma cacao: a potential psychoactive plant medicine
In the Western world, new scientific studies have proven many of the positive effects that cacao has on the human body, and at the same time, it is becoming an apotheosis concept among many holistic wellness trends of modern society.
The use of Theobroma cacao for ceremonies among pre-Hispanic indigenous tribes has become an intriguing concept for modern society. It is suggested by historians that in pre-Christianity traditions, the cacao tree symbolized life, healing, death, and the recall of the power of ancestors. In the modern world, cacao is being used in holistic medicine for getting clarity, setting intentions, and doing healing work and inner-processing. These practices have been investigated by neuroscience which suggests that cacao consumption activates the nucleus accumbens (NA) located in the basal forebrain which extends superiorly into the limbic system (pic 6) and interacts with several neurotransmitter systems including dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins promoting a mild psychotropic action when consumed in large doses from 40 to 60g per serving.

Research shows that the nucleus accumbens play a role in mood, feelings of reward, and motivation, which has an impact on psychological well-being. Dopamine (DA), a potent neuro-modulator in the nucleus accumbens has been shown to be important for the expression of feelings of happiness and pleasure. It is shown that some of the roles that serotonin has include impulse control and mood elevation. As well, researchers suggest that it elevates oxytocin levels, which is a peptide hormone that promotes feelings of “love”.
Cacao also contains trace amounts of β-phenylethylamine (PEA), as a result of the thermal processing and fermentation of the seeds during production. Phenylethylamine is an endorphin chemical that has an impact on the levels of several ‘feel-good hormones” and it is described as “an immediate shot of happiness, pleasure, and emotional wellbeing”.

Conclusion
Despite the reputation of cacao as an indulgent food, this research is aimed at the potential therapeutic benefits of using cacao for health and wellbeing. Based on the evidence the research clearly shows that cacao can support different body systems as a complementary medicine and it can be concluded that cacao could be implemented as part of a health plan regime.
Moreover, cacao has a very special and extraordinary cultural history within ancient civilisations, and will be a valuable heritage for generations to come.

Picture sources:-
• Pic 1: Image scanned from Mexico South by Miguel Covarrubias, KPI Ltd., London, 1986
• Pix 2 & 8: images scanned from Cocoa: All About It by ‘Historicus’, Sampson Low, Marston & Co. Ltd., London, 1896
• Pic 3, 4, 5 & 6: images from the internet supplied by Jessica Anaya Pérez
• Pic 7: image scanned from Historia de las plantas de Nueva España by Francisco Hernández, Imprenta Universitaria, Mexico, 1943.
• Pic 9: photo by Ian Mursell/Mexicolore.