Hairy cartilage tree
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Hairy cartilage tree ( Chondrodendron tomentosum ) |
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| Ruiz & Pav. |
The hairy cartilage tree ( Chondrodendron tomentosum ), also known as semolina or pareira , is a species of plant from the genus Chondrodendron in the family of the moon seed plants (Menispermaceae). Like most of the species from the moon seed family, this species also has a high alkaloid content in the roots. The main active ingredient is D-tubocurarine , which is part of curare , a toxic arrow poison used by parts of the indigenous population of South America .
description
Vegetative characteristics
The hairy cartilage tree is a liana whose finely hairy, up to 10 centimeter thick shoot axes reach heights of growth of up to 30 meters. The relatively smooth bark is grayish to brownish.
The alternate leaves are arranged in a petiole and a leaf blade. The slightly fine-haired petiole has a length of 8 to 14 cm. The triangular or egg to slightly heart-shaped and entire, slightly leathery, bald leaf blade is 10 to 20 cm long and about the same width. The underside of the leaf is whitish, woolly hairy. The leaves are rounded to pointed or, less often, indented. The nerve is palmate.
Generative characteristics
Chondrodendron tomentosum is dioecious dioecious . The inconspicuous, very small, unisexual and whitish, stalked flowers with a double inflorescence are arranged in a hanging, panicle or racemose inflorescence . There are about 9-16 unequal, more or less hairy or ciliate sepals and 6 petals, the inner 6 sepals are somewhat larger than the 6 strongly reduced petals, the outer ones are more or less reduced, like bracts . There are short in the male flowers 6, at the top short-curved stamens and the female 6 top independent and free, finely hairy carpels with almost sessile, tongue-shaped scars available; there may also be minimal staminodes.
When ripe, the black-purple, shiny, fleshy, about 1.5-2.5 centimeters large, egg-shaped to ellipsoidal and almost bare stone fruits contain horseshoe- to crescent-shaped, streaky stone cores.
Occurrence
The hairy cartilage tree is widespread in the western parts of Bolivia , in northern Brazil , as well as in Peru , Ecuador , Colombia and as far as Central America .
use
Active ingredients
The active ingredients contained act as neurotoxins and are classified as extremely toxic (Ia). The main active ingredient of the plant is D- tubocurarine . It also contains curin , chondocurarine , chondocurine , cycleanine and norcycleanine .
use
Pure tubocurarine was used as a muscle relaxant in surgical interventions . The active ingredient is also part of the curare arrow poison.
Symptoms
Tubocurarine only works when it enters the bloodstream; when ingested or in contact with the skin, it is almost inactive. The LD 50 for various mammals for the alkaloid is 0.23-0.70 mg / kg body weight for intravenous administration. In the event of an injection or injury with an appropriately prepared arrow, vertigo, tachycardia , hypotension , bronchospasm , weakness, nausea, pain and fever occur. In addition, thirst, paralysis and a coma. Death occurs through respiratory paralysis.
pharmacology
The active ingredient D-tubocurarine acts as an antagonist on postsynaptic acetylcholine receptors in the motor endplate, which is why it acts as a muscle relaxant. In addition, tubocurarine causes a nonimmunological release of histamine through mast cell degranulation . This can cause drop in blood pressure, tachycardia, circulatory collapse, and bronchospasm.
First aid
In the event of an overdose, 2 to 3 mg neostigmine is administered in combination with 0.5–1 mg atropine . This neutralizes the “cholinergic” effect of the poison on the circulation and the bronchi. Intubation and artificial respiration are necessary for severe poisoning .
literature
- Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden. XLIX, 1962, pp. 157-160, online at biodiversitylibrary.org.
- Thomas B. Croat: Flora of Barro Colorado Island. Stanford Univ. Press, 1978, ISBN 0-8047-0950-5 , p. 391 ff.
- Michael Wink, Ben-Erik van Wyk, Coralie Wink: Handbook of poisonous and psychoactive plants. Wissenschaftliche Verlagsgesellschaft, Stuttgart 2008, ISBN 978-3-8047-2425-9 .
- Datasheet at National Tropical Botanical Garden of the USA .
Web links
- Chondrodendron tomentosum at Useful Tropical Plants.
- Pareira brava at Heilpflanze-Welt.de.