What is strophanthus good for?
Strophanthus is an herb. It has been used as an arrow poison in Africa. Strophanthus seeds are used to make medicine. Despite serious safety concerns, people take strophanthus for diabetes, heart problems, and high blood pressure, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses. The botanical name of strophanthus is Strophanthus kombe oliv. The biological source of it is dried ripe seeds of it. It belongs to the apocynaceae plant family.It has been used as an arrow poison in Africa. Strophanthus seeds are used to make medicine. Despite serious safety concerns, people take strophanthus for diabetes, heart problems, and high blood pressure, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.
What is the history of strophanthus use?
The strophanthins, which we now know to be steroidal cardiac glycosides, were isolated from African plant sources (arrow poisons) in the late 19th century. By the 1880s, galenical preparations of strophanthus were commonly prescribed for cardiac patients as a substitute for digitalis. Strophanthus refers to a genus of plants from which strophanthin G, a fast-acting cardiac glycoside, is derived. It binds with high affinity to the α-subunit of the Na⁺/K⁺ pump, influencing cardiac function.
What research has been done on strophanthus?
Investigations have focused mainly on its cardenolides because of their cardioactivity and historical use as cardiotonic. There are also studies concerning the antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activity of plant extracts. The group Cardiac poisons mainly includes Aconite, Nicotine, Oleander, and Digitalis. These are all poisonous plants, widely found in India and some of them are easily available. As all these plants are poisonous, they may be used for suicidal or homicidal purposes.