Strychnos castelnaeana
Wedd.
Loganiaceae
Strychnos castelnaei Wedd.
Common Name:
General Information
Strychnos castelnaeana is a climbing shrub producing stems up to 12 metres long and about 35mm in diameter that clamber into the surrounding vegetation, supporting themselves by means of tendrils[
434- Title
- Flora of Peru
- Publication
-
- Author
- Macbride. J.F.
- Publisher
- Field Museum of Natural History
- Year
- 1936
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent attempt at a Flora of Peru, though it is clear that many of the plants were imperfectly known at that time and so information on them was sketchy. Available for download from the Internet.
].
The plant is one of the sources of curare, used in the Amazon as an arrow poison and also used in modern medicine as a sedative and anticonvulsant.
Known Hazards
The bark is one of the sources of 'Curare', an arrow poison produced in the jungles of the Amazon. Curare has a number of applications in modern medicine[
434- Title
- Flora of Peru
- Publication
-
- Author
- Macbride. J.F.
- Publisher
- Field Museum of Natural History
- Year
- 1936
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent attempt at a Flora of Peru, though it is clear that many of the plants were imperfectly known at that time and so information on them was sketchy. Available for download from the Internet.
].
The bark contains the alkaloid curarine, which paralyses the peripheral nerves so voluntary muscles for respiration cease action and asphyxiation occur[
348- Title
- Medicinal Plants of the Guianas
- Publication
-
- Author
- DeFilipps, R. A.; Maina, S. L.; & Crepin, J.
- Website
- http://botany.si.edu/bdg/medicinal/index.html
- Publisher
- Smithsonian Museum
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A down-loadable PDF document of a book in pre-publication awaiting illustration. An excellent, if rather terse, guide to the traditional medicinal uses of the plants of the region
].
Botanical References
434- Title
- Flora of Peru
- Publication
-
- Author
- Macbride. J.F.
- Publisher
- Field Museum of Natural History
- Year
- 1936
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent attempt at a Flora of Peru, though it is clear that many of the plants were imperfectly known at that time and so information on them was sketchy. Available for download from the Internet.
Range
S. America - Amazonian region of Brazil and Peru.
Habitat
Not known
Properties
| Medicinal Rating |  |
| Habit | Climber |
| Height | 10.00 m |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
Not known
Edible Uses
None known
Medicinal
Curare, obtained from the bark of the stems, is a very toxic substance used in the Amazon as an arrow poison. It does also have medicinal applications; as a sedative, anticonvulsive etc. However, the toxic does is very near the pharmacological does and so it has to be used with great care.
Curare is a powerful paralyzing agent of the motor nerves. Its active principle is Curarin[
526- Title
- An Illustrated Dictionary of Medicine, Biology and Allied Sciences.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Gould G.M.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- P. Blakiston's Son & Co.; Philadelphia.
- Year
- 1907
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A major work at the time, though very dated now. Contains quite a lot of information about medicinal plant uses.
]. Toxic doses cause death by paralysis of the organs of respiration[
526- Title
- An Illustrated Dictionary of Medicine, Biology and Allied Sciences.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Gould G.M.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- P. Blakiston's Son & Co.; Philadelphia.
- Year
- 1907
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A major work at the time, though very dated now. Contains quite a lot of information about medicinal plant uses.
].
Curare has been reported effectual in two cases of hydrophobia, and has been successful in the treatment of tetanus[
526- Title
- An Illustrated Dictionary of Medicine, Biology and Allied Sciences.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Gould G.M.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- P. Blakiston's Son & Co.; Philadelphia.
- Year
- 1907
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A major work at the time, though very dated now. Contains quite a lot of information about medicinal plant uses.
].
The bark, applied externally, is said to be a good remedy for foul ulcers[
460- Title
- Flora Medica
- Publication
-
- Author
- Lindley J.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/
- Publisher
- Longman, Orme, Brown, Green and Longmans: London
- Year
- 1838
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A massive work - many of the botanical names have changed, but the book is still a wealth of information.
].
The bark is one of the most potent sedatives in nature and, could it be safely managed, would no doubt become a valuable remedial agent in the treatment of convulsive and spasmodic disorders[
460- Title
- Flora Medica
- Publication
-
- Author
- Lindley J.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/
- Publisher
- Longman, Orme, Brown, Green and Longmans: London
- Year
- 1838
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A massive work - many of the botanical names have changed, but the book is still a wealth of information.
].
Other Uses
None known
Propagation
Seed -
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
