Chilcuague vs akarkara is a comparison between two roots from opposite sides of the Atlantic that both make your mouth tingle. Chilcuague is Heliopsis longipes from the mountains of Central Mexico. Akarkara is the Hindi trade name for Anacyclus pyrethrum, a root from North Africa that has also naturalised in India and Pakistan. Sellers mix the names up, and a third plant, the jambu or toothache plant, often gets sold as akarkara too.
Three plants, two names
All three belong to the Asteraceae, the daisy family, and each one carries alkamides, the class of compounds that produces a buzz on the tongue.
Anacyclus pyrethrum is the plant most sources mean by akarkara. In English it is called pellitory, Spanish chamomile, Mount Atlas daisy or bertram. In India it goes by akarkara in Hindi, akalla in Sanskrit and akkarkkara in Tamil. A 2022 systematic review by Elazzouzi and colleagues in the journal Plants describes it as endemic to Morocco and Algeria, growing in the Atlas ranges at 1,000 to 2,500 metres. The IUCN lists it as Vulnerable.
Acmella oleracea, also called jambu, paracress, buzz buttons or the toothache plant, is grown in India, where nurseries sell it under the name akarkara. It probably descends from a Brazilian species. In northern Brazil, jambu leaves go into tacacá, a soup from the state of Pará.
Chilcuague has its own link to the name. One of its Mexican market names, recorded by Cilia-López and colleagues in 2008, is pelitre. That is the Spanish word for pellitory, the English name for Anacyclus.
Chilcuague vs akarkara, side by side
| Chilcuague | Akarkara (Anacyclus pyrethrum) | Akarkara (Acmella oleracea) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other names | Golden root, raíz de oro, raíz azteca, pelitre | Pellitory, Spanish chamomile, Mount Atlas daisy | Jambu, toothache plant, buzz buttons, paracress |
| Where it comes from | Sierra Gorda and Sierra de Álvarez, Central Mexico | Atlas mountains of Morocco and Algeria | Likely Brazil, now cultivated in India and elsewhere |
| Family | Asteraceae | Asteraceae | Asteraceae |
| Part used | Root | Root | Flower buds and leaves |
| Main tingle compound | Affinin (spilanthol) | Pellitorine, plus anacycline and other alkamides | Spilanthol (affinin) |
| Tradition | Mexican spice and folk use | Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha, Moroccan folk use | Brazilian cooking, Indian herbal use |
| Common forms | Dried root, powder, extracts, mouth sprays | Dried root, powder | Fresh buds, dried herb, extracts |
“Oh wow, the saliva flow.”
Where the tingle comes from
The chemistry is where the two roots split. Chilcuague's main compound is affinin, a molecule chemists also call spilanthol. Measured by HPLC, the dried root holds 6.9 to 8.5 mg of it per gram, roughly 0.7 to 0.85%. Jambu carries the same molecule, which is why chilcuague and the toothache plant feel so alike.
Anacyclus root leans on a different alkamide, pellitorine. Chemists describe it as N-isobutyl-2,4-decadienamide, a close structural cousin of affinin (N-isobutyl-2,6,8-decatrienamide). Pellitorine also turns up in black pepper. The Elazzouzi review lists anacycline and a range of other N-isobutyl amides in the root as well.
How they taste
Chilcuague tastes earthy and a little peppery for about a second. Then a bright, electric buzz spreads across the tongue and mouth, saliva comes fast, and a clean, fresh feeling lingers.
Anacyclus root has a different profile. The Elazzouzi review describes it as bitter and classes it as a sialagogue, a substance that makes the mouth water.
For jambu buds, Wikipedia's entry describes a grassy taste, then a strong tingling or numbing sensation, heavy salivation and a cool feeling in the throat.
Where Dragon Breath fits
Dragon Breath is made from chilcuague only. The root is wild-harvested in Central Mexico from growth zones the Mara team selects with the help of local elders, then dual-extracted in organic solutions. The extract goes into a 50 ml mouth spray in Miron violet glass, which keeps light off the extract and adds significant longevity to the quality and potency of the extract.
One spray gives the full chilcuague sequence. On a customer reaction video, the first words after a spray were "Oh wow, the saliva flow." Cheryl, a verified buyer, wrote "Great stuff! Love that there's an organic version of this".
Which one are you holding?
Because one name covers two plants, the label is the only reliable guide. Look for the Latin species name. Heliopsis longipes is chilcuague. Anacyclus pyrethrum is the North African pellitory. Acmella oleracea, sometimes still labelled Spilanthes acmella, is jambu. A pack that says only "akarkara root" could be either of the last two, and a pack of flower heads rather than root is likely jambu.
Both roots come from small wild ranges. Anacyclus is listed as Vulnerable, and chilcuague grows in one corner of Central Mexico where three states meet. In both cases the whole plant is dug up for its root, so a label that names the origin region tells you more than one that doesn't.
For the full story of the Mexican root, from its Nahuatl name to what's in it, read our guide to chilcuague.
Questions people ask
Is akarkara the same as chilcuague?
No. Akarkara usually refers to Anacyclus pyrethrum from North Africa, and sometimes to jambu. Chilcuague is Heliopsis longipes, a different plant from Central Mexico.
Is pellitory the same as chilcuague?
Pellitory is Anacyclus pyrethrum. The confusion comes from pelitre, a Mexican market name for chilcuague that borrows the Spanish word for pellitory.
Do chilcuague and akarkara contain the same compound?
Partly. Chilcuague and jambu share affinin (spilanthol). Anacyclus root relies mainly on pellitorine, a related alkamide.
Are chilcuague and akarkara in the same plant family?
Yes. Chilcuague, Anacyclus and jambu all belong to the Asteraceae, the daisy family.
