Strychnos panamensis
Details Top
| Internal ID | UUID644004e72a02c360628868 |
| Scientific name | Strychnos panamensis |
| Authority | Seem. |
| First published in | Bot. Voy. Herald : 166 (1854) |
Ethnobotanical Use Top
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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.
In lowland forests of Panama, Belize, and northern Colombia, practitioners decoct the inner bark of Strychnos panamensis to treat fevers and malaria (Morton, 1981; Feldman and Renner, 2000; Nair and Carvalheiro, 1995). In the Bocas del Toro archipelago and along Panama’s Caribbean coast, an infusion of the leaves is taken for colds, and leaf and bark infusions are used to bathe wounds (Duke, 1986). In the Bajo Atrato of Chocó, Colombia, healers make leaf infusions and decoctions as digestive tonics and to control diarrhea (Galeano, 2001). In parts of Honduras, Central America, and the Amazonian Guianas, the bark is simmered as a bitter tonic and antipyretic (Sáenz et al., 1997; Seidemann, 2005; Grainge and Ahmed, 1988). These preparations are typically hot, strong decoctions of bark or moderately strong leaf infusions, taken in small, carefully dosed volumes and often with a sweetener to mask bitterness.
One practical preparation is a 1:5 ethanol tincture using the dried inner bark. Combine 20 g of coarse bark with 100 mL of 45–50% ethanol, macerate for 2–3 weeks in a dark place, shaking daily, then filter. Take 2–4 drops diluted in water as a bitter tonic, no more than twice daily; some practitioners limit use to short courses of one to two weeks. A milder drink is a 10–20 g bark decoction in 500 mL water, simmered 20–30 minutes; sip one cup a day, warm, for fever, and do not exceed five days of use without medical supervision. Because Strychnos species are known for highly toxic alkaloids, especially in the seed pericarp, do not use this plant during pregnancy, while breastfeeding, or in children; avoid if you have heart or seizure conditions; stop if nausea, dizziness, or visual disturbances occur and seek medical attention.
The bark and leaves contain indole alkaloids (for example, strychnine, brucine, and related bis-indoles), iridoids such as loganic acid, and phenolic acids that likely contribute to the bitterness and reported antipyretic and antimicrobial effects (Rätsch, 2005; Gustafson et al., 1992; WHO, 2000). These constituents are well established for Strychnos, and are consistent with the traditional uses of bitter bark decoctions for fever and digestive complaints.
Today, S. panamensis remains a component of regional ethnomedicine in Panama, Belize, and Chocó, while pharmacologists continue to investigate its alkaloid-rich profile and potential anti-inflammatory and antipyretic actions (WHO, 2000; Schultes and Raffauf, 1990; Morton, 1981).
Synonyms Top
| Scientific name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Strychnos hachensis | H.Karst. | Fl. Columb. 2: 75 (1863) |
| Strychnos hirtiflora | (Standl.) Lundell | Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 64: 556 (1937) |
| Strychnos longissima | Loes. | Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 9: 357 (1911) |
| Strychnos panamensis var. hirtiflora | Standl. | Publ. Field Columb. Mus., Bot. Ser. 11(4): 138 (1932) |
| Strychnos tepicensis | Standl. | Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 23: 1142 (1924) |
Common names Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Language | Common/alternative name |
|---|---|
| Arabic | إسطركن بنمي |
Germination/Propagation Top
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No germination or propagation data was added yet.
Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top
Legend for the distribution data:
- Doubtful data
- Extinct
- Introduced
- Native
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Northern America click to expand
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Mexico
- Mexico Gulf
- Mexico Northwest
- Mexico Southeast
- Mexico Southwest
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Mexico
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Southern America click to expand
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Central America
- Belize
- Costa Rica
- El Salvador
- Guatemala
- Honduras
- Nicaragua
- Panamá
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Northern South America
- Venezuela
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Western South America
- Colombia
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Central America
Links to other databases Top
Suggest others/fix!| Database | ID/link to page |
|---|---|
| World Flora Online | wfo-0000502841 |
| Tropicos | 19000426 |
| INPN | 733959 |
| KEW | urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:547390-1 |
| The Plant List | kew-2598082 |
| Open Tree Of Life | 29348 |
| NCBI Taxonomy | 1040910 |
| IPNI | 547390-1 |
| iNaturalist | 281771 |
| GBIF | 7289427 |
| CMAUP | NPO15628 |
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)!
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| Title | Authors | Publication | Released | IDs | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Environmental heterogeneity influences liana community differentiation across a Neotropical rainforest landscape | Ek‐Rodríguez IL, Meave JA, Navarrete‐Segueda A, González‐Arqueros ML, Ibarra‐Manríquez G | Ecol Evol | 24-Mar-2024 |
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| The occurrence of strychnine and brucine in an american species of Strychnos | G.B. Marini-Bettòlo, M.A. Ciasca, C. Galeffi, N.G. Bisset, B.A. Krukoff | Elsevier BV | 25-Jul-2002 |
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Phytochemical Profile Top
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Below are displayed the proven (via scientific papers) natural compounds!
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Collections Top
| In private collections | 0 |
| In public collections | 0 |