Common Name:

General Information

Catharanthus lanceus is a herbaceous perennial plant with decumbent stems, growing up to 1 metre tall, with a carrot-shaped taproot up to 70cm long. There is a white latex in all parts of the plant [].
The plant is harvested from the wild, mainly for local use as a medicine, though the plant is also sometimes exported[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Africa - central Madagascar.

Habitat

Mainly in sunny positions on volcanic soil, laterite covering quartzite and granitic rock; periodically burned areas; open woodland on ridges; among rocks on hillsides; in ruderal grassland and along roadsides, at elevations from 750 - 2,000 metres[].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	0.70 m
Pollinators	Self
Self-fertile	Yes
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Not known

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

A root decoction is taken as a remedy against toothache or fever, and as a purgative, oxytocic and vermifuge[, ].

The leaves are anodyne, astringent, bitter, diuretic, emetic and general tonic. A decoction of the aerial parts is taken to stimulate the flow of breast milk[, ].
Externally, the decoction is applied against several skin problems and as a haemostatic[].

Several pharmacologically active alkaloids have been isolated from the aerial parts of the plant, including leurosine, perivine, yohimbine, cathanneine, tetrahydroalstonine, leurocristine, periformyline, vincristine and vindolinine[].
The alkaloid fractions lanceus have shown hypotensive activity. The main active compound is yohimbine, a potent alpha-adrenergic blocker, but several other compounds play a role as well[].
Leurocristine, perivine, periformyline and vincristine show antiviral activity in vitro against some human pathogens[].
Some alkaloids have a hypoglycaemic effect[].
A lyophilized aqueous extract was found to show anti-tumour activity, with leurosine as the most potent compound[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed -

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