Vanilla

Scientific Name(s): Vanilla planifolia Andr.
Common Name(s): Bourbon vanilla, Flat-leaved vanilla, Mexican vanilla, Tahitian vanilla, Vanilla, Vanillon

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Sep 6, 2021.

Clinical Overview

Use

Clinical trials are lacking; however, antimicrobial, antioxidant, antimutagenic, and anti-sickle cell effects have been studied. Vanilla has been used widely in food as a flavoring agent.

Dosing

There have been limited clinical studies to support a therapeutic role for vanilla. In a study in sickle cell disease, vanillin 1 g daily was given in divided doses over 40 days.

Contraindications

Contraindications have not yet been identified.

Pregnancy/Lactation

Generally recognized as safe when used as food. Avoid dosages higher than those found in food because safety and efficacy are unproven.

Interactions

None well documented.

Adverse Reactions

Some allergenic properties have been associated with vanilla.

Toxicology

Research reveals little or no information regarding toxicology with the use of this product.

Scientific Family

• Orchidaceae

Botany

The vanilla plant (V. planifolia Andr. [synonymous with Vanilla fragrans Ames, Vanilla tahitensis J.W. Moore, and Vanilla pompon Scheide.]) is a perennial herbaceous tropical climbing vine that grows to 25 m in the wild and can produce fruit for 30 to 40 years. It is native to Mesoamerica, a region that includes parts of modern day Mexico, where it grows abundantly. V. planifolia is cultivated in tropical areas of the Indian Ocean, including on the islands of Reunion and Madagascar, which produces approximately 80% of the world's supply. The fully grown unripe fruit (the bean or pod) is collected and subjected to a complicated and labor-intensive fermentation process; together with the drying stage, this curing process requires 5 to 6 months to complete. During this time, vanillin is produced by the enzymatic conversion of glucovanillin within the bean. Vanillin may accumulate as white crystals on the bean surface, giving it a frosted appearance.PLANTS 2010, Evans 1989, Leung 1980

History

Vanilla has a long history of use as a food flavoring and fragrance. Spanish explorers first introduced vanilla to Europe in the early 1500s. Although the vanillin constituent is often used in bulk food preparation, it cannot be readily substituted for the natural extract when the delicate fragrance of the pure extractive is desired. Vanilla has traditionally been used as an aphrodisiac, carminative, antipyretic, and stimulant, and in the treatment of fever, spasm, dysmenorrhea, and hysteria. It has been added to foods to reduce the amount of sugar needed for sweetening and is said to curb the development of dental caries.Duke 1985, Sinha 2008

Chemistry

The quality of the vanilla bean is not dependent on the vanillin content even though vanillin is associated with the characteristic fragrance of the plant. Numerous other constituents characterize the flavor and quality of vanilla and its extracts.

Vanilla beans contain approximately 1% to 2% vanillin (4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde), the major flavor component. Other major constituents are vanillic acid and p-hydroxybenzoic aldehyde. However, more than 200 other minor components contribute to the full-bodied fragrance of natural vanilla. Tannins, polyphenols, free amino acids, and resins have been described from the plant. Aromatic compounds found in the leaves and stems have also been identified.

Vanillin content differs with the variety of th...