Ayrampo - A useful Andean cactus

Ayrampo - botanical name 'Tunilla soehrensii' - is a species of the genus Tunilla, which is a sister genus of the much more common genus of the Opuntia, known as 'prickly pears', 'nopalea', 'tunas' or 'paddle cactuses'. Same as the Opuntia the Tunilla have their own 'prickly pears' (English) or 'Kaktusfeigen' (German). In Spanish there exist various names: 'nopales' (North-America), 'tunas' (South-America) and 'higos chumbos' (Spain) for the fruits of the tribe of Opuntieae. However mostly all these names refer to the fruits of the Indian Fig Opuntia (O. ficus-indica), which is only one certain species of the sister genus of the Opuntia.

The botanist Alberto Vojtěch Frič named the genus of the Tunilla 'Airampoa'. Sources state the name 'Ayrampo' to be of Quechuan origin ^[1] [8]. Therefor several other transcriptions exist, like "Ayranpu ^[7] [8]",  "Haranpu ^[8]", "Ayrampu ^[6]", "Airampo ^{[2] [3] [6]}", "Airampu ^[9]" or "Irampo ^[1]".


 >Ayrampo - Ein andiner Feigenkaktus

Habitat 

Ayrampo is an endemic species in the south of Peru, Bolivia, north of Chile and the north of Argentina in heights above 3'000m ^[5]. It grows strongest between 3'300 and 4'000m. ^[5]

Human usage of Ayrampo

Technical use

The flower and fruit are natural dyes, having a dark carmine color used for dying fibers like wool. ^{[2] [5] [6] [9]}

Culinary use

• Food colorant
  It’s a natural food colorant (e.g. to give color to beverages, cough syrup, bread, pastry). ^{[2] [3] [5] [6]}
• Infusion
  The seeds are often used for refreshing infusions. ^{[2] [3] [8]}
• Ice cream
  It’s also common to prepare it in ice cream form with a little of cinnamon. ^[2] [3]

Medical use

• Antipyretic
  The infusion made with the seeds reduces or limits high fever. ^{[2] [3] [4] [6] [8]} 
• Antiphlogistic
  The infusion is also a treatment against inflammations ^[5] of mucous membranes, like conjunctivitis (extertanally) ^{[4] [6] [8]} or ulcers like aphths (recurring oral aphthae and recurrent aphthous ulceration) ^{[1] [4] [6]} or peptic ulcers ^[2].
• Laxative
  The juice of the quenched cladodes has a purgative effect. ^[1]

Peruanischer Espresso bei Rewe

Feine Welten Incahuasi  
Der Incahuasi Espresso aus 100 Prozent Bio Arabica stammt aus der Region Cuso in den peruanischen Anden. Dort wird er von Kleinbauern der Kooperative Valle de Incahuasi produziert. Die Kleinbauernkooperative ist Fairtrade-zertifiziert und die Bauern und Bäuerinnen bauen zudem nach streng ökologischen Richtlinien 2.200 Meter über dem Meeresspiegel Arabica Hochland-Kaffee an.

Single Origin Kaffee

Herkunft: Amerika/Südamerika/Peru/Region Cusco/Incahuasi-Tal
Sorte: Arabica
Varianten: Espresso, Crema
Röstung: Langzeit
Geschmack: aromatisch, ausgewogen, angenehme Säure
Verkauf:
Ganze Bohnen,  gemahlen
Preis im Rewe:
Crema 14,99/kg (5.3.2012)

Vin Tonique Mariani à la Coca du Pérou

Mariani Wine was a tonic vine, created 1863 by the Corse Angelo Mariani. It consisted of Bordeaux wine and extracts of Peruvian coca leaves. The beverage contained ethylbenzoylecgonine, which is very similar to Cocaine (methylbenzoylecgonine) and thus has similar effects.

While in Germany coca-wine was prohibited 1920 because of the cocaine, in the USA it was for its alcohol; Cocaine remained a legal substance until 1970!
However, already at the end of the 19th century people became increasingly aware of the negative side effects of excessive cocaine consumption. Some producers like Pemberton, designer of Pemberton's French Wine Coca which by the time would transform into todays Coca-Cola, began to extract the cocaine from their beverages.

 Vin Tonique Mariani à la Coca du Pérou [fr - Mariani-Wein mit Koka aus Peru] war ein Bordeauxwein mit Kokainhaltigen Extrakten des Kokastrauchs.
>Deutschsprachiger Artikel und Links

Mariani Wine - in France promoted as Vin Tonique Mariani à la Coca du Pérou [fr - tonic wine Mariani with Peruvian coca] - emphasized the Peruvian origin of the coca leaves.

Whereas the original recipe contained 211 mg/L cocaine, the exported Mariani wine contained 254 mg/L cocaine to enable better competitiveness with the equally potential coca-wines in the US-American market. 
The alcohol content was 10%.

Due to the coca extracts and the red wine Mariani Wine had a very stimulating effect.
Vin Mariani advertised (in November 1896), that their "original French Coca Wine {was} most popularly used {as} tonic-stimulant in Hospitals, Public and Religious Institutions everywhere" and recommended "since thirty years by all eminent physicians". It would "nourish, fortify, refresh and strengthen the entire system", while being "most agreeable". It's "exceptional reputation" like being an "effective and lasting renovator of the vital forces" would stand "every test strictly on its own merits". Further it was "palatable as choicest old wines".
This patent medicine was praised for a bunch of helpful effects on the human body like digestive, appetite suppressant, anti-depressant, and treatment against illnesses like malaria, influenza or anemia.
The recommended dose was daily two or three claret-glassfuls taken preferably before or immediately after a meal.

Coca-Cola developed from  coca wine  
Vin Mariani soon became a success on both sides of the Atlantic, which rapidly entailed a lot of copycats. The historically most important imitator was John Pemberton. His French Wine Coca over time has transformed into todays well-known Coca-Cola.

With the blessing of Holy Mother Church
Among the innumerable fans of Mariani Wine were besides a lot of famous people (the picture above shows advertisement featuring an endorsement from Berthelier, a popular late 19th century actor) the contemporary popes. Pope Leo XIII. even awarded Vin Mariani with a Vatican gold medal and thus became a vehicle for its advertising. 
More examples of advertisements and endorsments on  Vin Mariani <the nonist.com> and Vino de Coca Mariani <perso.wanadoo.es>.

Bolivianische Kola mit Koka-Extrakten

Foto: AFP

"Collas" werden die indianischen Bewohner im Hochland genannt.

Coca Colla kostet:
Zehn Bolivianos, ungefähr einen Euro.
Coca Colla enthält:
Wasser, Koka, Aromastoffe, Koffein und Farbstoffe.