LOGANIACEAE

Adicot family of about 800 species of herbs, shrubs or trees, native to warm temperate or tropical regions. Some such as Buddleia, are grown as ornamentals and food for butterflies and others yield drugs and poisonous substances.

Gelsemium sempervirens [Restricted Herb]

Carolina jasmine, yellow jasmine

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Family Loranthaceae

Description

An evergreen twining shrub growing to 6–7 m. Leaves, opposite, entire, lanceolate, narrow at the base, glossy green above and about 10 cm long. Flowers trumpet shaped, bright yellow, fragrant 4 cm long. Flowers most of the year.

Habitat and cultivation

Native to North America, from Virginia to Florida, west to Texas, and Central America. Grown as an ornamental vine over porches and trellises in many parts of the world. Propagated by seed or cuttings. Prefers a damp situation.

Parts used

Root and rhizome best collected in autumn and dried.

Active constituents

1) Alkaloids predominantly of indole type (min. 0.32%)1 mainly gelsemine,2 a number of others have also been characterised.3

Also contains coumarins, anthraquinones, volatile oil, resins and fatty acids.4

Actions

1) Analgesic

2) Sedative

3) Hypotensive

Scientific information

Gelsemium was an official medicine in the United States Pharmacopoeia from 1860 to 1926 although its historical use does not appear to date back much further than this time. There is no relevant modern research into this herb.

It was used to treat fever, inflammation of the gastro-intestinal tract, hypertension, asthma, whooping cough, croup, dysmenorrhoea, chorea, epilepsy and urinary retention. Its main use was due to its action as a nervous system depressant. It is now a restricted herb.

Medicinal uses

Gelsemium is used to treat:-

CONTRAINDICATIONS—In hypotension, heart disease and myasthenia gravis.

Precautions and/or safety

It can cause dizziness, diplopia, ptosis, mydriasis and respiratory depression. These symptoms may take some hours to develop and can occur even with small doses. The herb has been associated with fatalities caused by respiratory arrest.