SEED: NUX VOMICA - EXPERIMENT

SEED: NUX VOMICA

Synonyms:

Crow-fig, Semen strychni, Nux vomica seed, dog button, Vomit seed, Quaker button 

Biological Source:

Nux Vomica consists of the dried, ripe seeds of Strychnos nux-vomica L.

Strychnous-Poisonous

Nux vomica- A nut which can cause vomitting

Family:Loganiaceae

Morphology: 

Size – 2 to 2.5cm width and 4 to 6 mm (t);

Shape -Disc shaped, some­times flat, little depressed on one side and arched on the other, sometimes irregularly bent.

Colour-Greenish brown

Margin :More or less rounded;

Odour - None

Taste-Very bitter.

Extra Features- Surface of the seeds is silky due to the radially arranged, densely covered, closely apprised unicellular lignified covering trichomes.

Hilum is present in the centre of one of the flat surface.

Endosperm is translucent, grayish in colour and with white embryo.

Embryo is found in the endosperm.

Chemical Constituents:

Bitter Indole alkaloids- Chief constituents – strychnine and brucine which are derivatives of indole alkaloids.

Other constituents are vomicine, α colubrine, pseudostrychnine and strychnicine.

Glycoside – loganin.

Fixed oil and chlorogenic acid is also present.

Uses:

·         Bitter stomachic

·         Central nervous system stimulant as it blocks the inhibitory spinal impulses at post synaptic level. It also causes convulsions.

·         Used in certain forms of cardiac failure.

·         It stimulates cardiovascular systems hence given in large doses to treat cardiac failure.

·         Sex tonic

·         Strychnine is used to treat chronic conjunctivitis.

·         Used in menstrual pain.

·         As a circulatory stimulant.

·         Rodent killer, vermicidal.

·         Antidote in chloroform poisoning.

·         Strychnine is therapeutically active where as brucine is less active or inactive, brucine is 4 times more bitter than strychnine hence used as standard drug for determining bitterness value.

·         Brucine – Denaturing alcohol and standard for bitterness and as a dog poison.

·         Anodyne for treating inflammatory conditions of the external ear.

Brucine is used as a dog poison.