Botanical Index No. 572

Jequirity

abrus precatorius

Medicinal Actions

Alexeteric, Analgesic, Antiestrogenic, Antifertility, Antihistaminic, Antiinflammatory, Antitumor, Cerebrotonic, Cicatrizant, CNS-Depressant, Contraceptive, Cytotoxic, Depurative, Diaphoretic, Diuretic, Emetic, Expectorant, Hemolytic, Hypotensive, Irritant, Negative Chronotropic, Negative Inotropic, Parasympathomimetic, Propecic, Schistosomicide, Teratogenic, Tonic, Uterotonic, Colic

Primary Conditions Treated

Abortifacient Aphrodisiac Emollient Hemostat Poison Pressor Vermifuge Adenopathy Alopecia Anemia Anuria Aphthosa Ascites Asthma Bite Bleeding Blennorrhea Bronchosis Bruise Cancer face hand skin vagina vulva Cardiopathy Cholera Cold Conjunctivosis Convulsion Corneosis Cough Cystosis Dermatosis Diarrhea Diphtheria Dropsy Dysentery Dusgeusia Dysuria Enterosis Epithelioma Fever Freckle Fungus Gastrosis Gingivosis Gonorrhea Gravel Headache Hemorrhoid Hepatosis High Blood Pressure Hoarseness Hookworm Infertility Inflammation Insanity Jaundice Leprosy Leukoderma Leukorrhea Lumbago Lupus Malaria Mucososis Mycosis Nausea Nephrosis Neurosis Nyctalopia Ophthalmia Pain Panus Paralysis Pertussis Pharyngosis Pulmonosis Respirosis Rheumatism Schistosomiasis Sciatica Snakebite Sore Sore Throat Staphylococcus Stomatosis Swelling Syphilis Trachoma Tuberculosis Tumor Ulcer Vaginosis VD Vomiting Vulvosis Wart Water Retention Worm Wound

General Dosage

5–7 grains for pertussis; some Africans take a dangerous 200-g powdered seed as a powdered contraceptive, the effect lasting 13 menstrual cycles.

Safety & Contraindications

Even though the plant contains the very useful glycyrrhizin, I consider it too poisonous for folk medicine. Two seeds have been enough to kill children, three to kill a horse. Abrin, the lectin, can cause coma, confusion, convulsions, dehydration, gastroenterosis, and hypotension. Aqueous seed extract is abortifacient; LD100 2 mg/kg ipr mouse, LD40 = 25 mg/kg orl mouse. If the leaves really contain a reported 10% glycyrrhizin, and a bigger if, no toxins, they might share many of the biological activities of licorice. One study found no glycyrrhizin, rather four abrusosides and three other sweet glycosides based on the novel cycloartane-type aglycon. Purified abrusosides may prove useful as commercial sweeteners and lack the toxicity known in glycyrrhizin. More extensive toxicity tests need to be conducted. Enzymes in abrin inhibit protein synthesis, causing cell death, more so in tumor than in healthy cells.

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