botanical name(s): Piscidia piscupula, Piscidia erythrina
synonyms: Jamaican dogwood
part(s) used: bark
qualities:
affinities:central nervous system, eyes, lungs
actions: sedative, hypnotic, anodyne
dosage:
» tincture: 2 - 4 ml.
therapy: migraine, insomnia, toothache, neuralgia, whooping cough (use with caution!!), asthma, ovarian pain, dysmenorrhea
toxicity: 3
» contraindicated in children and the elderly due to potent neural depressant effect caused by rotenone and isoflavones: ichthynone, piscidone, and piscerythrone (Brinker 1989, 1995 & 1996)
» cerebral excitant: promotes salivary secretion, diaphoresis and diuresis; pupillary dilation, muscular relaxation, incoordination, drowsiness, hyporeflexia, dyspnea, and spastic paralysis lead to convulsions and tetany; cardiac changes include hyper- or hypotension, cardiac spasm and relaxation; death results from cardiorespiratory failure; no direct effect on the gastrointestinal tract or the skeletal muscles (Ellingwood, pp. 110-112; Felter and Scudder, pp. 548-549)
» gastric distress can occur; signs include salivation, nausea, numbness, and diaphoresis (Duke, p. 384)
» exposure to wounds results in irritation, local and/or systemic poisoning reactions (Duke, p. 384)
constituents: glycosides, flavonoids, resin, alkaloids, tannins
footnotes
Brinker F. 1995. Botanical Medicine Research Summaries. (from Eclectic Dispensatory of Botanical Therapeutics, vol.11), Sandy, Oregon: Eclectic Medical Publications.
Brinker F. 1989. To Health With Herbs (from Eclectic Dispensatory of Botanical Therapeutics. vol. I, Alstat E (comp.)), Portland, Oregon: Eclectic Medical Publications.
Brinker F. 1996. The Toxicology of Botanical Medicines, rev. 2nd ed., Sandy, Oregon: Eclectic Medical Publications.
Duke, J.A. 1985. C.R.C. Handbook of Medicinal Herbs. Boca Raton, FL: The C.R.C. Press.
Ellingwood, F. 1898. American Materia Medica, Therapeutics, and Pharmacognosy. Portland, OR: Eclectic Medical Publications.
Felter, H.W. & Scudder, John K., 1922. The Eclectic Materia Medica, Pharmacology and Therapeutics. Cincinnati, Ohio. Reprinted in 1985 by Eclectic Medical Publications, Portland, OR.