Treating Livestock with Medicinal Plants: Beneficial or Toxic?

Gelsemium sempervirens

Index

• Introduction and Description
• Common Names
• Chemical Compounds
• Toxicity
• Uses and Efficacy

Introduction and Description

Gelsemium sempervirens belongs to the family Loganiaceae. It grows in the piedmont and coastal areas of the southeastern U.S. It is an early flowering climbing vine. The flowers are yellow, funnel shaped, and have a strong odor. The roots and rhizome of yellow jessamine were historically used to treat migraine headaches and types of neuralgia.

Common Names

• Carolina Jessamine -- U.S.
• Gelber Jasmin -- Germany
• Jasmin sauvage -- France
• Sariyasemin
• Yellow Jessamine

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Chemical Compounds

Gelsemium sempervirens contains ergot type alkaloids. Following is a list of some of the compounds in the root of the plant. Potential activities of some of the compounds are listed as well as the quantities of the compounds in parts per million. For further information regarding the compounds in the plant refer to USDA Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases.

• 9-Hydroxysemperoside
• Brasoside
• Emodin-monomethylether
• Fabiatin
• Gelsedine -- activity CNS depressant
• Gelsemicine -- CNS depressant, convulsant, hypotensive, and respiraparalytic
• Gelsemide
• Gelsemide-7-glucoside
• Gelsemidine -- CNS depressant
• Gelsemine -- analgesic, CNS depressant, CNS stimulant, cardiodepressant, and hypotensive
• Gelseminine
• Gelsemiol
• Gelsemiol-1-glucoside
• Gelsemiol-3-glucoside
• Gelsevirine -- CNS depressant
• Ipuranol
• n-Pentatriacontane
• Scopoletin -- allelochemic, analgesic, antiasthmatic, antiedemic, antifeedant, antiinflammatory, antileukotrienogenic, antiseptic, antitumor, CNS stimulant, cancer preventive, hypoglycemic, hypotensive, myorelaxant, pesticide, phytoalexin, spasmolytic, and uterosedative
• Sempervirine
• Tannin -- antidiarrheic, antidysenteric, antimutagenic, antinephritic, antioxidant, antiradicular, antiviral, bactericide, cancer-preventive, hepatoprotective, pesticide, psychotropic, and viricide

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Toxicity

All parts of G. sempervirens are toxic, including the flower and nectar. The primary toxic compounds are gelsemine and gelseminine, which act as motor nerve depressants. Symptoms of toxicity in humans include difficulty in use of voluntary muscles, muscle rigidity and weaknes, diziness, loss of speech, dry mouth, visual disturbances, trembling of extremities, profuse sweating, respiratory depression, and convulsions. In Germany, human therapeutic use of the rhizome is not permitted, because it is not believed that efficacy has been adequately documented and serious risks are known. In some Australian states, the use of G. sempervirens is restricted and subject to poison control. The therapeutic dose in humans and the toxic dose are very close. No data could be found regarding livestock toxicity. However, many ergot alkaloids are known to be toxic to livestock.

Uses and Efficacy

It has been claimed that G. sempervirens can be used to treat several types of ailments. However, there is little substantial proof. There are some testimonials regarding its effectiveness in treating various ailments in cats (e.g., fever with shivering, muscle weakness, and vertigo). The doses used were: 30cc BID for 2 days and 3 doses of 30cc 12 hrs apart.

Some Uses in Humans:

• Analgesic -- Mexico
• Anodyne -- Mexico, Turkey, and U.S.
• Asthma -- Mexico
• Cephalgia -- Mexico
• CNS-depressant -- U.S.
• Cough -- U.S.
• Dermatologic aid -- U.S.
• Depressant
• Dysmenorrhea -- Mexico
• Fever -- Turkey and U.S.
• Gonorrhoea -- Mexico
• Hypertension-- Mexico
• Malaria -- Mexico and Turkey
• Migraine
• Neuralgia -- Europe
• Parturition -- U.S.
• Pertussis -- Mexico
• Pleurisy -- U.S.
• Poison, homicide -- Mexico, Turkey, and U.S.
• Polio
• Rheumatism -- Mexico
• Sedative, nerves, hysteria -- Mexico and Turkey
• Shortwindedness -- U.S.
• Spasm -- Mexico and Turkey
• Stomach ache -- U.S.
• Tonic -- Turkey

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References

• Beckstrom-Sternberg, Stephen M., James A. Duke, and K.K. Wain. "The Ethnobotany Database." http://probe.nalusda.gov:8300/cgi-bin/browse/ethnobotdb. (ACEDB version 4.3 -data version July 1994).
  
• Beckstrom-Sternberg, Stephen M., and James A. Duke. "The Phytochemical Database." http://probe.nalusda.gov:8300/cgi-bin/browse/phytochemdb. (ACEDB version 4.3 - data version July 1994).
  
• Blackwell, W.H. 1990. Poisonous and Medicinal Plants. Prentice Hall: Englewood Cliffs, NJ.
  
• Cheeke, P.R. 1998. Natural Toxicants in Feeds, Forages, and Poisonous Plants, 2nd ed. Interstate Pubs., IL.
  
• Demers, J. 1998. Gelsemium sempervirens. J Am Holistic Vet Med Assoc 16 (4): 21-22.
  
• Keeler, R.F., K.R. van Kamen, and L.F. James, eds. 1978. Effects of Poisonous Plants on Livestock. Academic Press: NY.
  
• De Smet, P.A.G.M., K. Keller, R. Hansel, and R.F. Chandler, eds. 1992. Adverse Effects of Herbal Drugs Part 1 and 2. Springer-Verlag, NY.

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