2 Biochemistry

Hoja santa is rich in a variety of bioactive compounds including secondary metabolites (polyphenols, phenylpropanoids, and terpenes) and alkaloids. The largest component found in leaf oil from hoja santa is safrole which can comprise as much as 85% of the oil. Safrole can be found in multiple plants, including Black Pepper leaf and many of the functional properties of hoja santa are due to the high levels of safrole. 

In addition to safrole, there have been at least 30 different compounds identified in the essential oil extracts. Aqueous and ethanolic leaf extracts have also  been shown to show high levels of phenolic compounds, relative to other herbs with fresh leaves yielding higher levels than dried ones.