Leung's Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients Used in Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION

Contains as active constituents about 0.5%
oxindole alkaloids, consisting mainly of gel-
semine, with lesser amounts of gelsemicine,
gelsedine, gelsevirine, sempervirine, gelsemi-
dine, 1-methoxygelsemine, 21-oxo-gelse-
mine, and 14-hydroxygelsemicine (GLASBY
2;LIST AND HO€RHAMMER).1–5
Other constituents present include the
coumarin scopoletin (also called gelsemic
acid andb-methylesculetin), an iridoid com-
pound,^1 volatile oil (0.5%), pregnane-type
steroids (12-b-hydroxypregna-4,16-diene-
3,20-dione and 12-b-hydroxy-5-a-pregn-
16-ene-3,20-dione),^6 fatty acids (palmitic,
stearic, oleic, and linoleic acids),n-pentatria-
contane, and tannins (KARRER; LIST AND
HO€RHAMMER).

PHARMACOLOGY AND BIOLOGICAL
ACTIVITIES

Gelsemium and gelsemine, its major alkaloid,
have been reported to have central stimulant
and analgesic properties; they also potentiated
the analgesic effects of aspirin and phenacetin
(JIANGSU;LIST AND HO€RHAMMER).
Oral administration of a dilute solution of
gelsemium extract for 30 days totally inhib-
ited the development of seizures in rats with
status epilepticus.^7 An earlier study also dem-
onstrated that low dose of gelsemium extract
had beneficial neurotropic, immunological
and gastric effects in a stressed mice model.^8
This indicates that low doses of gelsemium
may have potential in management of certain
nervous disorders.

TOXICOLOGY

Gelsemium alkaloids are very toxic; and gel-
semicine is reportedly more toxic than glese-
mine.^9 Ingestion of as little as 4 mL of a fluid
extract (1:1) or a tea made from as few as three
leaves has been reported as fatal. Children

have been severely poisoned by chewing

leaves or sucking flower nectar. Toxic symp-

toms include giddiness, weakness, ptosis,

double vision, dilated pupils, and respiratory

depression (GOSSELIN;HARDIN AND ARENA;MAR-

TINDALE). A case of lethal goat intoxication

has been reported in which 3 goats died

after accidental feeding on gelsemium

leaves that resulted in diffuse neuronal degen-

eration and myofiber atrophy leading to

death within 24 h.^10

USES

Medicinal, Phamaceutical, and Cosmetic.

Used as an ingredient in some analgesic,

sedative, and antispasmodic preparations.

Traditional Medicine. Due to its high toxic-

ity, gelsemium is rarely used as a domestic

medicine in the United States. However

when it is used, it is usually for treating

nervous heart conditions, migraine, neuralgia,

and sciatica; also used in cancer.^11

Widely used in the 19th century, especially

by eclectic practitioners; root tincture used for

fevers, inflammations of the spinal column,

and neuralgia; believed to diminish blood to

the cerebrospinal centers, reducing spasmodic

action.^12

A related species (G.elegansBenth.) is

used in China to treat conditions, including

neuralgia, rheumatic pain, various kinds of

sores, scrofula, and wounds. It is used only

externally; all parts of the plant are employed

(JIANGSU).

A rare speciesG. rankiniiSmall occurs

from Alabama and Florida to North Carolina

and may have been involved in traditional

usage in the southern United States.^12

COMMERCIAL PREPARATIONS

Crude and extracts (fluid, solid, etc.). Strengths

(see glossary) of extracts are expressed

in weight-to-weight ratios. Crude and fluid

extract were formerly official in N.F.

Gelsemium 313