Volume 152, Issue 1, 27 February 2014, Pages 33–52
Review
Medicinal plants of the genus Gelsemium (Gelsemiaceae, Gentianales)—A review of their phytochemistry, pharmacology, toxicology and traditional use
Abstract
Ethnopharmacological relevance
In the genus Gelsemium, Gelsemium elegans
(Gardn. & Champ.) Benth. has been recognized as a toxic plant that
is widely distributed in Southeast Asia and has been used as traditional
Chinese medicine for the treatment of rheumatoid pain, neuropathic
pain, spasticity, skin ulcers and cancers for many years. Gelsemium sempervirens
(L.) J.St.-Hil. has been used since the nineteenth century in
homeopathy for treating anxiety, neuralgia, migraine and spasmodic
disorders, such as asthma and whooping cough in North America. This
review aims to provide comprehensive information on the botany,
traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacological research and
toxicology of medicinal plants in the genus Gelsemium. The overall objective is to explore the evidence supporting its ethnopharmacological effectiveness.
Materials and methods
A
literature survey was performed by searching the scientific databases
Pubmed, Google Scholar, SciFinder, Scopus, Web of Science and the
Chinese CNKI, in addition to traditional Chinese medicine and
homeopathic texts for information on Gelsemium.
Results
Plants of the genus Gelsemium
have been used in traditional medicine for the treatment of migraines,
neuralgia, sciatica, cancer and various types of sores. Studies into the
phytochemical composition of this genus have shown that all of the
species are rich sources of monoterpene indole alkaloids and that they
have attracted the attention of many researchers due to their markedly
diverse and complex architecture. To date, a total of 121 alkaloids have
been isolated and identified from the genus. The crude extracts, as
well as the monomeric compounds, from the genus possess anti-tumor,
analgesic, anxiolytic, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulating
pharmacological activities.
Conclusion
It is evident from the available literature that Gelsemium
species possess potential for use as a beneficial therapeutic remedy.
However, the analysis of previous pharmacological research suggests that
a clear assignment of active molecules and mechanisms of action is
remain lacking. Due to their high toxicity, the studies available on
toxicity and safety are inadequate for providing information on clinical
utilization.
