Scientific name
Strychnos nux-vomica
Family
Loganiaceae
Origin
India, Indochina, Australia
Synonyms
Vomica nutParts Used
Drug represented by seeds
Chemical constituents
- Indole alkaloids (strychnine, brucine, indoiine);
- Iridoid glucosides (loganine).
Vomica nut in herbal medicine: Properties of Vomica nut
Strychnine is a lethal substance that was used in the past in derattization. The pulverized seeds find application, even if rare and dangerous, as stimulants and eupeptics, however it must be emphasized that the nux vomica is a plant to be abandoned for therapeutic purposes because it has very serious toxic effects. In fact, at doses higher than 30 mg, nux vomica is capable of causing death by asphyxiation and paralysis following tetanus, spasmodic breathing and violent hypertensive crisis.
Contraindications
Avoid using it in any case.
Pharmacological interactions
- since the plant is not used for therapeutic purposes, no interactions of nux vomica with other drugs are known.