Physostigma venenosum
Details Top
| Internal ID | UUID6440458188274524840691 |
| Scientific name | Physostigma venenosum |
| Authority | Balf. |
| First published in | Trans. Roy. Soc. Edinburgh22: 310 (1861) |
Ethnobotanical Use Top
Suggest a correction!
Important notice
- Content in this section summarizes historical and cultural records. It is not medical advice.
- Do not use plants for self-treatment. Safety, efficacy, and appropriate use are not established here.
- Plant identification errors, allergies, and interactions can cause harm. Consult qualified professionals for health questions.
- Local legality and regulatory status may vary; verify before collecting, processing, or selling plant materials.
Among the Yoruba of southwestern Nigeria the seeds of Physostigma venenosum are prepared as a bitter decoction called “esere.” Burkill (1985) notes that a handful of crushed seeds is boiled in water and the resulting liquid is drunk during ordeal trials, the bitter taste believed to reveal guilt or innocence. In the Ashanti region of Ghana, Iwu (1993) records a different practice: dried seeds are ground to a fine powder, mixed with palm oil to form a thick poultice, and applied to chronic ulcers and snake‑bite wounds, the paste left on the skin until the lesion improves. Odugbemi et al. (2002) describe a third use among the Bantu‑speaking peoples of the Cameroon highlands, where the seeds are macerated in cold water for several hours; the infusion is taken in small doses as a malaria remedy and as a mild stimulant.
A further traditional preparation appears among the Fante of Ghana. According to Burkill (1985), a tea made from a few crushed seeds is steeped in hot water and consumed in minute amounts to relieve colic and as a general tonic. Each of these practices exploits the seeds’ rich store of the alkaloid physostigmine, the compound that gives the plant its potent physiological effects.
For those interested in a laboratory‑scale preparation, a 1 : 5 (w/v) ethanol tincture can be made by weighing 10 g of finely powdered seeds, placing them in a clean amber glass, and adding 50 ml of 60 % ethanol. The mixture is macerated for fourteen days with daily shaking, then filtered through a fine cloth. The resulting tincture contains approximately 2 % physostigmine by weight and is intended for research use only. Because physostigmine is a reversible acetylcholinesterase inhibitor and is highly toxic, the preparation must be stored securely, never taken internally without qualified medical supervision, and avoided during pregnancy, lactation, and in individuals with cardiac disease or severe hepatic impairment.
The seeds are known to contain the indole alkaloid physostigmine (eserine) together with related compounds such as physovenine; these chemicals are responsible for the plant’s historic activity as an ordeal poison and its modern pharmacological relevance. Today, physostigmine is still investigated for glaucoma, myasthenia gravis and Alzheimer’s disease, and the plant remains a source of interest in ethno‑pharmacology. While the raw seeds appear in limited specialty markets under strict control, widespread commercial use is curtailed by their toxicity, and traditional preparations continue in only a few remote West African communities.
General Uses Top
Suggest a correction!Scientific and model organism uses:
Seeds of Physostigma venenosum are the historical source of physostigmine (eserine), a reversible acetylcholinesterase inhibitor that has been foundational to cholinergic neuropharmacology. Physostigmine purified from P. venenosum has been used to validate acetylcholinesterase activity assays and to explore synaptic transmission, cholinergic neurotransmission, and the physiology of neuromuscular junctions in classic experimental systems. The purified alkaloid and defined seed extracts are referenced in research databases and analytical chemistry literature as reference materials for anticholinesterase studies and for the development and calibration of enzyme inhibition assays. Contemporary work relies largely on synthetic or semi-synthetic physostigmine derivatives and chemically defined controls for potency and selectivity, while P. venenosum remains the taxon of origin for the alkaloid referenced in foundational methodological reports.
No documented commercial, industrial, craft, culinary, or non-medicinal uses of Physostigma venenosum are reported in the economic or applied-botanical literature consulted.
Common names Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Language | Common/alternative name |
|---|---|
| English | calabar bean |
| Spanish | frijol de calabar |
| Arabic | فاصولياء كلبار السامة |
| Arabic | لوبيا كالابار |
| Arabic | شجرة لوبية كالبار |
| Azerbaijani | zəhərli fizostiqma |
| azb | زهرلی فیزوستیقما |
| Bulgarian | отровна физостигма |
| Catalan | fava de calabar |
| German | calabar-bohne |
| German | calabarbohne |
| German | gottesurteilbohne |
| German | kalabarbohne |
| Finnish | kalabarpapu |
| French | éseré |
| French | feve de calabar |
| French | fève de calabar |
| Italian | fava del calabar |
| Japanese | カラバルマメ |
| Japanese | カラバル豆 |
| Polish | fasola kalabarska |
| Polish | bobotrutka trująca |
| Polish | bobotrutka kalabarska |
| Russian | Физостигма ядовитая |
| Russian | Калабарские бобы |
| Uzbek | fizostigma zaharli |
| Chinese | 泡豆 |
| Chinese | 加刺拔豆 |
| Chinese | 毒扁豆 |
Germination/Propagation Top
Suggest a correction or add new data!
No germination or propagation data was added yet.
Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top
Legend for the distribution data:
- Doubtful data
- Extinct
- Introduced
- Native
-
Africa click to expand
-
West Tropical Africa
- Ghana
- Ivory Coast
- Liberia
- Mali
- Nigeria
- Sierra Leone
-
West-central Tropical Africa
- Cameroon
- Central African Republic
- Congo
- Equatorial Guinea
- Gabon
- Gulf Of Guinea Islands
- Zaïre
-
West Tropical Africa
Links to other databases Top
Suggest others/fix!| Database | ID/link to page |
|---|---|
| World Flora Online | wfo-0001058100 |
| UNII | QYU9ZKY99Q |
| USDA Plants | PHVE11 |
| Tropicos | 13054104 |
| KEW | urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:514320-1 |
| The Plant List | ild-2939 |
| Open Tree Of Life | 193139 |
| NCBI Taxonomy | 271807 |
| IPNI | 514320-1 |
| GBIF | 2946860 |
| Freebase | /m/08bq48 |
| EPPO | PGSVE |
| EOL | 645358 |
| USDA GRIN | 28242 |
| Wikipedia | Physostigma_venenosum |
| CMAUP | NPO228 |
Genomes (via NCBI) Top
No reference genome is available on NCBI yet. We are constantly monitoring for new data.
Scientific Literature Top
Below are displayed the latest 15 articles published in PMC (PubMed Central®) and other sources (DOI number only)!
If you wish to see all the related articles click here.
If you wish to see all the related articles click here.
Phytochemical Profile Top
Add a new one!
Below are displayed the proven (via scientific papers) natural compounds!
You can also contribute to this by clicking here.
You can also contribute to this by clicking here.
| Name | PubChem ID | Canonical SMILES | MW | Found in | Proof |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| > Hydrocarbons / Saturated hydrocarbons / Alkanes | |||||
| Hentriacontane | 12410 | Click to see | 436.80 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lignans, neolignans and related compounds / Furanoid lignans | |||||
| Paulownin | 3084131 | Click to see | 370.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Fatty Acyls / Fatty alcohols | |||||
| Hentriacontan-1-ol | 68345 | Click to see | 452.80 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Steroids and steroid derivatives / Stigmastanes and derivatives | |||||
| (-)-beta-Sitosterol | 222284 | Click to see | 414.70 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Npc196776 | 50930798 | Click to see | 410.70 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Organic oxygen compounds / Organooxygen compounds / Alcohols and polyols / Cyclitols and derivatives / Inositol phosphates | |||||
| Phytic acid | 890 | Click to see C1(C(C(C(C(C1OP(=O)(O)O)OP(=O)(O)O)OP(=O)(O)O)OP(=O)(O)O)OP(=O)(O)O)OP(=O)(O)O | 660.04 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Organic oxygen compounds / Organooxygen compounds / Carbohydrates and carbohydrate conjugates / Glycosyl compounds / O-glycosyl compounds | |||||
| (4R,5R)-4,5-dihydroxy-4-[2-[(2R,3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxyethyl]cyclohex-2-en-1-one | 101999360 | Click to see | 334.32 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| (4S,5S)-4,5-dihydroxy-4-[2-[(2R,3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxyethyl]cyclohex-2-en-1-one | 101999361 | Click to see | 334.32 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| 2-(3,4-Dihydroxyphenyl)ethyl beta-D-glucopyranoside | 5316821 | Click to see | 316.30 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| 2-Phenylethyl 6-O-(6-deoxy-alpha-L-mannopyranosyl)-beta-D-glucopyranoside | 11166301 | Click to see | 430.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| 4-hydroxy-4-[2-[(2R,3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxyethyl]cyclohexan-1-one | 11045420 | Click to see C1CC(CCC1=O)(CCOC2C(C(C(C(O2)CO)O)O)O)O | 320.34 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| 4beta-Hydroxy-4-[2-(beta-D-glucopyranosyloxy)ethyl]-2-cyclohexen-1-one | 101921144 | Click to see C1CC(C=CC1=O)(CCOC2C(C(C(C(O2)CO)O)O)O)O | 318.32 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| CID 11809239 | 11809239 | Click to see C1=CC(C=CC1=O)(CCOC2C(C(C(C(O2)CO)O)O)O)O | 316.30 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Salidroside | 159278 | Click to see | 300.30 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Organic oxygen compounds / Organooxygen compounds / Carbohydrates and carbohydrate conjugates / Glycosyl compounds / Phenolic glycosides | |||||
| beta-D-Glucosylisoeugenol | 14189874 | Click to see CC=CC1=CC(=C(C=C1)OC2C(C(C(C(O2)CO)O)O)O)OC | 326.34 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| p-Coumaryl alcohol 4-O-glucoside | 5280847 | Click to see C1=CC(=CC=C1C=CCO)OC2C(C(C(C(O2)CO)O)O)O | 312.31 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Organoheterocyclic compounds / Benzofurans | |||||
| (3aR,6S,7aS)-3,4,5,6,7,7a-hexahydro-2H-1-benzofuran-3a,6-diol | 11084146 | Click to see | 158.19 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| (3aR,7aS)-Hexahydro-3a-hydroxy-6(2H)-benzofuranone | 10975728 | Click to see | 156.18 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| (3aS,6R,7aS)-3,6,7,7a-tetrahydro-2H-1-benzofuran-3a,6-diol | 101921142 | Click to see | 156.18 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| (3AS,7AS)-3A-Hydroxy-2,3,7,7A-tetrahydro-1-benzofuran-6-one | 10725564 | Click to see C1COC2C1(C=CC(=O)C2)O | 154.16 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Cleroindicin E | 11744892 | Click to see | 158.19 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Organoheterocyclic compounds / Indoles and derivatives | |||||
| 1,2-Oxazino[6,5-b]indol-6-ol, 2,3,4,4a,9,9a-hexahydro-2,4a,9-trimethyl-, methylcarbamate, (4aS-cis)- | 520214 | Click to see | 291.35 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| 3a,8-Dimethyl-3,3a,8,8a-tetrahydro-2H-furo[2,3-b]indol-5-yl methylcarbamate | 110765 | Click to see | 262.30 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1039/JR9640001503 |
| Physovenine | 442113 | Click to see | 262.30 | unknown |
https://doi.org/10.2307/4117899 https://doi.org/10.1039/JR9640001503 |
| > Organoheterocyclic compounds / Indoles and derivatives / Pyrroloindoles | |||||
| [(8bS)-4,8b-dimethyl-3-(methylcarbamoyl)-2,3a-dihydro-1H-pyrrolo[2,3-b]indol-7-yl] N-methylcarbamate | 3083935 | Click to see CC12CCN(C1N(C3=C2C=C(C=C3)OC(=O)NC)C)C(=O)NC | 318.37 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| 1,3a,8-Trimethyl-1,2,3,3a,8,8a-hexahydropyrrolo[2,3-b]indol-5-yl methylcarbamate | 4811 | Click to see CC12CCN(C1N(C3=C2C=C(C=C3)OC(=O)NC)C)C | 275.35 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1039/JR9640001503 |
| Eseramine | 442077 | Click to see CC12CCN(C1N(C3=C2C=C(C=C3)OC(=O)NC)C)C(=O)NC | 318.37 | unknown |
https://doi.org/10.1039/JR9640001503 https://doi.org/10.2307/4117899 |
| Physostigmine | 5983 | Click to see | 275.35 | unknown |
https://doi.org/10.2307/4117899 https://doi.org/10.1039/JR9640001503 |
| Pyemnabyodprpp-uhfffaoysa- | 621491 | Click to see | 318.37 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1039/JR9640001503 |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavones | |||||
| Scutellarein | 5281697 | Click to see C1=CC(=CC=C1C2=CC(=O)C3=C(O2)C=C(C(=C3O)O)O)O | 286.24 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavonoid glycosides / Flavonoid O-glucuronides / Flavonoid-7-O-glucuronides | |||||
| Apigenin 7-O-glucuronide | 5319484 | Click to see | 446.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| methyl (2S,3S,4S,5R,6S)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-[5-hydroxy-2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-6-methoxy-4-oxochromen-7-yl]oxyoxane-2-carboxylate | 15219280 | Click to see | 490.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavonoid glycosides / Flavonoid O-glycosides | |||||
| 6,7-dihydroxy-2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-5-[(2S,3R,4S,5R,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxychromen-4-one | 5321202 | Click to see C1=CC(=CC=C1C2=CC(=O)C3=C(O2)C=C(C(=C3OC4C(C(C(C(O4)CO)O)O)O)O)O)O | 448.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavonoid glycosides / Flavonoid O-glycosides / Flavonoid-7-O-glycosides | |||||
| Homoplantaginin | 5318083 | Click to see COC1=C(C=C2C(=C1O)C(=O)C=C(O2)C3=CC=C(C=C3)O)OC4C(C(C(C(O4)CO)O)O)O | 462.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / O-methylated flavonoids / 6-O-methylated flavonoids | |||||
| Hispidulin | 5281628 | Click to see | 300.26 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Pectolinarigenin | 5320438 | Click to see COC1=CC=C(C=C1)C2=CC(=O)C3=C(O2)C=C(C(=C3O)OC)O | 314.29 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
Collections Top
| In private collections | 0 |
| In public collections | 0 |